Lunar Symphony
by Dark Nuriko
Summary: Joint fic with JessEklom. This story is about the lives of the pilots after the wars. Lemon parts can be found at the site on my author page. Finished
1. Duo POV

_**Lunar Symphony**_

Title: Lunar Symphony

Author(s): Dark Nuriko and JessEklom

Category: Gundam Wing

Genre: Drama/Humor

Pairings: 1x2 eventually, 3x4 established.

Warnings: Shounen ai, language, adult themes, lemon (eventually)

Rating: R for certain reasons.

Disclaimer: Mobile Suit Gundam Wing does not belong to us. It is property of Hajime Yatate. Copyright infringement not intended, although we'd love to call them our own.

Author's Note: This is about the lives of the pilots after the war. If I say anything else, I'd ruin the surprise. Enjoy.

Nuriko: Here's the next installment from JessEklom and myself. With Once a Lifetime and Heero-Ella such big hits, we thought we'd try another story.

Jess: Only this one differs from our previous stories.

Nuriko: This one deals with the darker side of life.

Jess: I can't believe you decided to write something like this.

Duo: :comes in slowly: I can't believe I agreed with this.

Jess: Or that Heero agreed to this.

Heero: :from offstage: Hn.

Duo: She promised us a lemon. I should have known it would come at a price.

Nuriko: :grins: That's what happens when you make wise cracks about my recent style of writing.

Heero: :still offstage: In other words, don't say anything bad to her about her writing.

Jess: I agree.

Nuriko: Glad to see you two understand. Now, on to Chapter One.

Chapter One; Duo POV:

Slipping out of the bed silently, I padded across the carpeted floor on bare feet. My braid was barely mused but my body was sore and sticky. I slid into the shower and carefully washed off all traces of my previous activities. Boy, did I miss my life during the war. Back then I was somebody; someone special. I had been Duo Maxwell, Gundam pilot and stealth and demolitions expert.

Now I was just Duo Maxwell, street rat and professional streetwalker. That was what I truly was. What I had been before the war and what I would always be. That's how my life always has been. Nothing good ever happens in my life for long. Hell, the war had been a picnic compared to my current way of life. Yet there wasn't much someone on L2 had in way of surviving the harsh streets. Many stole, lied, and cheated, and that was just the government officials.

I dried off and pulled on my tight black leather pants and black leather vest. This way I showed off my smooth stomach and well-muscled chest. I had feminine curves and my hips were always a best seller. My muscle tone didn't de-tract from my looks. In all honesty it drove men and women alike into a frenzy of hormone driven lust.

My long chestnut brown hair and violet eyes drew my customers to me and my skills kept them coming back. When one was as clever and quick witted as I was, who wouldn't want me? I stopped be the foot of the bed and picked up the pair of discarded slacks lying there. I dug out a wallet from a back pocket and opened it silently. I took all the cash from it before putting it back. I then dropped the slacks and slipped the cash into my back pocket.

"Sorry, man. You were good, but not free good," I muttered, staring at my latest job. He was a fairly handsome man with long blond hair and sky blue eyes. I had realized instantly why this guy needed a professional. He was quick on the draw and lacked the common sense to give his partner pleasure.

Not that I expected to find pleasure among the men and women I slept with. In fact, not once had I gained physical release with any of them. To me, it was simply work, plain and simple. I then silently slipped out of the room. Sometimes it was a blessing, being as silent as I was. I never liked how clingy some of my customers were. It was simply easier to vanish without a trace.

"Hey, Duo! How'd it go?" a sweet voice questioned. Morgana Wallace was a sweet young girl who had taken to following me around after I had saved her from some rather mean men. She was a pretty slick thief, but drew the line on doing what I did. I couldn't really blame her for her way of thinking either. Her long black hair was also pulled back in a braid like mine and her stormy gray eyes drew many a second glance. She reminded me of myself so many years ago; so I took her under my wing and we helped each other out.

"It went quicker than expected, Morgan," I answered with a smile. She rolled her eyes and briefly brushed past a well-dressed young man. He gave her a leering once over before continuing on his way. Twirling his gold wristwatch on one finger she smirked. She really was a swift, efficient thief. No one would expect the eight year old to be that good.

"I could have told you that. He didn't remind me of the sharing type." I choked back my laughter. She may only be eight years of age, but her mind and body were well ahead of their years.

"Take this and get yourself dinner. I'll take in the watch and bring home your money in the morning." Night on the streets of L2 was brutal so I always tried to get her off them before sunset.

"You won't be home tonight, Duo?" she asked, taking the money from my hand and stuffing it down her shirt. She then handed over the wristwatch. I took it and slid it onto my wrist, knowing no one would question someone of my profession for having it.

"No, Morgan, I won't. I've got to make enough for rent this month."

"I've already got half of it, Duo." I blinked in surprise. I always knew she was good, just not that good.

"Then I might be home late. Depends on how well things go tonight." She nodded.

"All right, Duo. I won't wait up." She then slipped onto the tip of her toes and kissed my cheek. "Be careful," She whispered before slipping off. I had been teaching her how to move silently. She was learning very well. Almost too well, if truth be told.

"I will," I whispered, moving off to my usual area. The dusk program of L2 was certainly not anything to lose your attention over. The only thing that happens is they dim the daytime lights little by little before allowing streetlights and simulated starlight to illuminate the city.

Oh how I missed Earth. Nothing was fake there. Sunlight was real during the day and the moon was a beautiful sight at night. That's what I really missed. Nature in all its true glory. A rather older gentleman moved over toward me just then. He wasn't extremely old mind you, but he wasn't my type.

"How much?" the gentleman asked. I pasted on my best smile and allowed my voice to sound husky. My body moved suggestively near him, not quite touching him.

"Depends on what you want," I purred into his ear. That lust filled gaze flicked over me. Hook, line, and sinker, this one was caught.

"Do you have any limitations?" he asked, one hand running over my hips. Oh, this one liked the kinky stuff, I could tell. Just then I heard a low growl. I had just enough time to look away from my customer before a rather familiar fist flew at me. My head was knocked back and I saw stars. Only one person had ever hit me like that. Damn, I thought they'd never visit the slums of L2. Boy how wrong I was.

"Damn, Heero, not the face. No one pays for damaged goods," I muttered, watching my potential customer quickly walk off.

"What are you doing?" Heero growled, his Preventer's uniform scaring off many people who were on the streets. There wouldn't me much business tonight.

"I'm working, Heero. What does it look like to you?"

"Like you were whoring yourself," he growled through clenched teeth.

"Ding, ding, ding. Give the Preventer a cookie," I muttered. Heero's Prussian blue eyes turned to ice as he narrowed them in my direction. Oh he didn't like that remark, not at all.

"Why? Why didn't you turned to Quatre, Trowa, Wufei, or myself? Why subject yourself to this?" I sighed, rubbing my jaw. He still hit like a sledgehammer.

"I don't want to rely on anyone for anything. Besides, I'm needed here. There is so much I can do for other children stuck here on these streets. I've even got someone special to take care of." Heero's gaze darkened, making me swallow. Why didn't I realize sooner that my next words could get me into a lot of trouble? "Excuse me, but I still have work to do."

"No, you don't," he growled as I turned from him. I was suddenly grabbed by rough hands and soon found my world upside down, my braid kissing the ground. My only vision was Heero broad back. When had he gotten so big, I wonder.

"Heero! What are you doing?! Put me down!"

"I'll do that once we get to my room," Heero muttered as he stormed off, myself stuck over his shoulder upside down.

Nuriko: Well, there you have it. Chapter One is complete.

Jess: :smirks: Now it's my turn to do some damage.

Nuriko: I didn't know you enjoyed torturing the boys.

Jess: Normally I don't. But Morgana gave me some good ideas.

Morgana: I did?

Jess: :nods: Yes, dear. You certainly did.

Morgana: Cool.

Duo: Be afraid, people. Be very afraid.

Nuriko: :laughs: Until next chapter, ja mata ne.


	2. Heero POV

Jess: hey everyone!! I've never gotten to do one of these little commentaries before, so I'm really excited! . 

Duo: Is there a particular reason for starting now?

Jess: thinks ... umm... Nuri said it'd be fun?

Duo: And you believed her why?

Nuri: HEY!

Jess: giggles You two are funny, isn't that right, Heero?

Heero: Hn. Remind me why I put up with you bakas.

Jess: Because you and I are on the same brainwave... and because we love Duo... and umm... Nuri... err...I can't think of a reason.

Duo: Damn straight you can't!

Nuri: Hey!! What is this? Pick on Nuri Day?

Jess: Oh I remember!! We put up with her because she comes up with lots of story ideas and because she reads us bedtime stories . I like bedtime stories

Heero: I do too

Jess: See? Same brainwave.

Duo: pouting because he isn't getting attention ... more like hair-brained.

Heero: Stop insulting yourself, baka. carries Duo off to do the scene

Jess: giggles on with the show!!

Lunar Symphony

Heero POV

It's been three and a half years since the end of the war and I now find myself working with the Preventers at the age of twenty. Most of the men and women with whom I work are at least five years older than myself aside from the other gundam pilots. I had a regular job, or what I classify as "regular," just like everyone else and I think I'm doing pretty well at integrating with the rest of the population.

At the moment, I was working on a mission on L2. Apparently, it was an effort to "clean house" so to speak. Relena had finally accepted that I did not want to be her bodyguard and so Lady Une decided that since I was one of her best, she'd send me to help organize the clean-up project. There were still many dirty politicians and officials, but I'd let Relena and Quatre handle them since they were more politically inclined anyway. I was here to do the dirty work.

My main duties were to sniff out drug rings and the like and put into effect several community projects to get kids off the streets and to make L2 a more habitable place period.

It was evening and I had already picked out an abandoned building to be the main center for this community project and I was scouting the surrounding area when I saw something that made my blood turn to ice. Just rounding the corner of the building I had chosen, I spotted an older man caressing Duo's hip!

I didn't want to believe it at first, but then I heard his unmistakable voice, as if his fair skin and hair weren't enough of a give away, and I just lost control. My vision went red and the next thing I knew, Duo was clutching his face, yelling at me for hitting him. The next choice was completely logical: take Duo away from the scene and knock some sense into him one way or another.

I was barely aware of what obscenities Duo was yelling, and I could tell the people around me hid in the shadows out of fear. It was uncommon to see a Preventer in this part of town and if one was ever spotted, they were there to cause trouble. I went back to the building I had found myself, and made my way inside. The walls were crummy and the carpet was threadbare and dirty and there was graffiti all the way down the halls, but the structure was solid. I made my way up the stairs to the third floor where I had picked an apartment.

I pulled out a pass-card and swiped it across the magnetic reading device I had installed just earlier today to make sure my room was secure then put it in my back pocket. Duo had stopped struggling somewhere along the way knowing that it was useless to try and fight me. Duo had retained most of his muscle, but I had been working out for three years, as my job required of me. Now, I was slightly of a larger build than Duo with more defined muscles, if I could bend steel before, I could do much more damage now.

Inside the apartment, the walls were a shade of off-white. I had fixed every hole in the wall, exterminated, and re-carpeted the floor. The apartment was really only a one-room flat with my Spartan décor to mark it as my own. Not much had changed in that regard since the war and yes; I was still anal about keeping things working with military precision. I stepped inside with Duo still slung over my shoulder, turned around, closed and locked the door, taking the time to reactivate my alarm system.

Once I was sure the area was secure, I set Duo down and glared at him.

"I don't even know what to say to you, Duo Maxwell." I ground out my fists clenching ready to hit him again. I still had anger management issues to resolve and he was NOT helping right now. "Here I am, thinking I'm going to be doing my job on this god forsaken colony and what do I find? I find my ex-partner whoring himself in broad daylight for what? What is it Duo? What was so damned important that you had to make your living as a street walker?!" I practically yelled in his face.

"Uh..." Duo looked both angry and ashamed, but he risked looking up at me. Before meeting my eyes though, they stopped and focused on something just behind me.

I whirled around, pulling out my gun and aimed at whatever Duo was looking at. In that instant, I made two observations: One, my gun was missing; two, there was a little girl in my flat clutching my sunglasses to her chest. When had I lost them?

The little girl looked like she was maybe twelve, but her face still had the roundness of someone younger. She had long black hair braided down her back, with a red baseball cap perched backwards on her head. She was also wearing a gray oversized sweater with a large pocket in the front and baggy blue jeans meant for boys. On her feet were some large black converse knock offs and mismatched socks. Her pretty little face was smudged but her hands were clean, as if she took special care of them for some reason.

"Heero... this is my 'someone special'" Duo said as I stared at this creature in front of me.

"Awwww... I ain't that special..." the girl said, shuffling her feet.

"Heero, I'd like you to meet Morgana Wallace. Morgana, this is Heero Yuy. Now... remember what I told you?" Duo asked her in a patient voice. "We don't steel from friends, and Heero is my friend. Give the glasses back."

The girl sullenly handed me back my glasses and I took them, still trying to figure out how she managed to get into my personal space to take them. An even better question would be how she got into my apartment without my knowing.

"If the Preventer is your friend, does that mean I have to give everything else back too?" the girl asked innocently.

"Yes." Duo told her and she sighed, going to my kitchen table and dumping out the contents of her left pocket.

What I saw shocked me to no end. The girl had stripped me bare. All she had left to take from my person was my clothes, holsters, and sheaths. From her pocket emerged my wallet, the spare change in my pocket, my badge, my Preventer pass card, my keys and my flat pass card, but that wasn't all. She then began pulling out my three guns from her pocket. She had taken the one in my shoulder holster, the one at the small of my back, and the little silver one I keep tucked under a belt loop to the left of my belt buckle. She had taken all my twelve throwing knives from their hiding places at my ankles and had even gone so far as taking the blade from the spring-loaded sheath tucked under the cuff of my sleeve. The girl had taken out the handcuffs, the pepper spray, the stun gun, and the four loaded magazine clips to my guns from their pouches at my belt and had even taken my platinum chain around my neck with the number "01" hanging from it that Quatre had given each of the pilots with their respective number.

This little girl was the best thief I had ever laid eyes on, and she didn't even look old enough to pilot a gundam! This was definitely Duo's work. I turned to look at Duo who also looked just as stunned as I was.

"Okay, sweetie..." Duo coaxed, "now how much of this stuff belongs to Heero?"

The girl just shrugged, playing with the end of her braid, "I took all this off the Preventer."

Duo blinked, "Then what's in your other pockets?"

She shrugged again, "It's my day's work."

"Let me see." I surprised myself by asking.

The girl, Morgana, looked a little wary, but at a nod from Duo, she began emptying her pockets. The girl was beyond good. She had a total of 31 wallets in her possession as well as assorted jewelry of various values. She had loose credits and change and an assortment of watches that could be pawned.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when Duo just laughed a little, "No wonder you have half of the rent already! Look at you, you little thief!"

The girl grinned a little and looked up innocently at Duo, "I only want to be as good as you, Duo."

Duo laughed again, "kid, you've been better than me for over a year now!"

I wasn't too comfortable with the idea of having this many stolen goods in my apartment, especially since I was now supposed to be enforcing the law. "You have to give as much of that stuff back as you can," I said.

Duo gave me an angry look while Morgana gave me the kicked puppy look, "But... if we give everything back... we won't have enough money to pay our rent!"

"Yeah, Heero, and you don't like my line of work either." Duo sneered. "We won't take charity either, so don't even think about offering it."

"I wasn't planning on doing any such thing!" I practically shouted at him. It's been years and he still gets me riled up. It must be a Duo thing that he's passing on, it seems because the girl takes after him a little too much.

"There you go," Morgana said matter-of-factly. "This is our livelihood, you can't take it from us."

"Speaking of which, kiddo, how in the hell did you ever get that good?" Duo asked the girl. He shouldn't be encouraging her behavior. "It takes a LOT to be able to get that close to Heero. He's broken wrists when people try to get too close to his weapons! You know... he used to be able to bend steel with his hands when he was skinny, imagine what he can do now!" Duo looked at me from head to toe, seeing all the muscle mass I'd accumulated over the years and nodded to himself. "So, answer the question, squirt."

Morgana blushed slightly, her hands behind her back, "Well... I switch your hair tie three times a day...From black to pink, then later from pink to purple, then from purple to black before you go to bed because I know you take your hair down at night."

Duo looked stunned that someone could tamper with his braid without his knowledge. He then cracked a grin and spread his arms for a hug, "C'mere you!"

Morgana rushed up to him and hugged him back. I sighed... this was going to be a LONG mission.

"Duo... why don't you help me out? I'm sure Une wouldn't mind putting you on payroll if you agreed to help with our latest project." I couldn't help feeling left out when Duo hugged Morgana. Don't ask why, but I felt the need to bring their moment to an end.

"Project?" Duo asked curiously.

I nodded, "A project to clean out L2"

Jess: Hey everyone!! Well... wouldn't you know? I started writing this chapter this morning and then I had to go to class halfway through the thing so I went. So there I was on campus walking to my Anatomy and Physiology class when a piece of dirt or something blows into my eye....

Heero: Does this story have a point?

Jess: I'm getting there!

Heero: Hn.

Jess: So like I was saying, I got a foreign particle in my eye and it HURT! So I took my stupid test, went home, and called my mom. She told me to get my ass to the doctor and it turns out I have a cut in my eye! Now I have to walk around with s stupid looking eye patch and a headache. Fun, huh?

Heero: Hn. That didn't have a point to it.

Jess: But it hurts!

Duo: Be nice to her. At least she finished this chapter...

Nuri: Yeah Hee-chan, be nice... or... or... I'll write something you won't like! It's my turn after all grin

Heero: pales and mumbles an apology then grabs Duo and makes a hasty exit.

Nuri and Jess: Bye everyone!! Till next time!


	3. Duo POV

Lunar Symphony 

Nuriko: Here comes the next installment of Lunar Symphony.

Duo: Oh and is it a dozy of a chapter.

Nuriko: :smirks: Oh it's far more than that.

Jess: Nuri, what are you planning this time?

Heero: This is beginning to un-nerve me.

Nuriko: This is my way of tormenting you for being mean to Jess the other day.

Jess: I didn't really think you'd punish him.

Nuriko: Of course.

Duo: Her actually letting one of us off with just a threat? :laughs: Never happen.

Jess: :eyebrow raised: You're in a better mood. How come you're on Nuri's side again?

Duo: Because I was told about what's planned.

Nuriko: Not to mention he's not the one I'm angry with this time around.

Jess: :grins: I'm really looking foreword to this.

Duo: :smirk: Me too.

Nuriko: Me three.

Heero: Hn.

Nuriko: On to chapter three!

Heero: Somebody help me. :mutters into the sudden silence:

_Chapter Three: Duo POV_:

I watched Heero for the longest moment. Morgana was snuggled against my side. I could tell she was tired yet reluctant to go to sleep until she was certain all was all right. She hadn't eaten today, either, but we were both used to going to bed hungry.

"Heero, why now?" I asked softly. "Why do they care about L2 now?" Heero's dark expression softened slightly as he continued to watch Morgana. He always did have a soft spot for children.

"I don't know," Heero answered. He sighed and motioned for Morgana and I to take a seat on the single tan couch he owned. I moved over to it with Morgana and took a seat. Morgana curled onto my lap. Obviously she felt I was safe now, for she was curling up to sleep, just like she did at our home.

"What kind of help will you need?" I asked, smoothing a hand over her braid.

"I'm in charge of cleaning up the drug dealers and other such things. I even have to figure out how to get the children off the streets. In all honesty, I don't know where to begin." I thought on his words a moment. Relena and Quatre would most certainly be dealing with the political aspect of L2. I was fairly certain on that.

"I can help gather the children," Morgana spoke up suddenly. I grinned. It was nice to see she trusted him as much as I did. Offering to help with the children was a huge step toward her trust in him.

"Hn," Heero muttered softly. I could help but grin. Old habits died hard with him, I could tell.

"Don't belittle her, Hee-chan. She's got every child on L2 listening to her. When I had returned to L2, after the wars, she was all ready in charge of them, all of them under her command. Now, no child so much as sneezes without her permission. She doesn't have them scared of her either. They listen to her because she's smart." Morgana adjusted herself so she could look at Heero, her storm gray eyes serious.

"Please Mr. Preventer, sir. I can help too. Once you have a place for them, I'll get them there. I promise I will. Please don't throw me out." I froze, watching tears fill her eyes. Morgana was terrible when it came to rejection. Especially since her parents had simply tossed her aside as soon as she could walk and talk.

Heero's eyes softened and he soon was kneeling in front of her. There was no longer any ice in those stunning blue eyes. My heart skipped a beat and my pulse sped up. Oh, I forgot how much Heero affected me. Obviously I still loved him. I knew I always would. If only I could be worthy of him.

"Morgana, may I call you Morgana?" She nodded at his question. Heero then continued. "I'll tell you what. I'll leave you in charge of the children. You'll be our junior Preventer on the field. How does that sound?"

"Really?" Morgana asked, her eyes growing wide. I couldn't help but smile. Heero had become a shred negotiator during his time with the Preventers. He had also become less cold toward others. That was something I was beginning to love to see.

"Really. On my honor." In the blink of an eye she was suddenly in his arms, her own chubby arms going around his neck. Heero was stunned, uncertainty in his normally unemotional eyes as he looked at me. 'What do I do?' he mouthed to me. I smiled softly, certain my feelings were shining in my eyes.

'Hug her back,' I mouthed in return. With his eyes locked on mine, Heero wrapped his arms around her hesitantly, returning her hug.

"Is there someplace I can sleep?" she asked after a bit. Heero removed his gaze from mine and looked at her.

"I was going to be up all night so you can take my room. Its through the door on the right," Heero told her, pointing toward it. She gave me a hug and kiss before heading toward the room.

"Sleep well," I called. She nodded and soon disappeared behind the door. I cast a sideways glance toward Heero, only to catch his gaze on me. He was checking me out! From the slight hitch in the pulse at the base of his throat, he liked what he saw too. Oh, this could be used to my advantage.

"So, where does that leave you for helping me?" he asked. He was nervous. I could tell because his left hand flinched when he was nervous.

"I can give you a list of every crooked politician, officer, and business man on L2. I can also give you every drug dealer, drug supplier, pimp, and other such low life that is here on L2. Not a thing goes on in L2 that I don't know about. Even after three years, everything was exactly as it was when I was last here."

"So why a street walker?" Heero finally questioned. I could tell he really wondered about what had made me choose this life when Lady Une and Noin were more than eager to have my skills in the Preventers ranks.

"Why not?" I asked back. His hands clenched. He was trying to restrain himself. How sweet. I sighed and stood, moving to stand beside him. "There's nothing else that I'm suited for other than that. It's what I did before I joined the sweepers and I never thought I was good enough for anything else. Being a Gundam pilot was the best I've ever hand it."

I have him a small smile and then leaned in close to him. I pressed against him, my eyes watching the pulse at the base of his throat. It once again began a faster than normal pace. I really loved how much time had changed Heero. True, he was still anal retentive about his home, but he wasn't as in control of his every physical response anymore. I found myself liking this more and more.

"Yet there was always one thing I really missed out on. One thing I wanted and will most likely never have," I told him in a throaty purr, my lips a hairs-breath away from his quickening pulse.

"Wh. . .What is that one thing?" he asked. I smiled against his throat. My Hee-chan stuttered. I was getting to him. This was the happiest moment of my life. The one I loved was affected by my touch and voice. It was all I care about at the moment.

"I wanted to kiss the one who never saw me as nothing more than a street rat. I wanted one moment of pleasurable closeness before having to return to my empty world." I spoke my words from my heart. My lips were now mere inches from his. The one thing I wanted was a breath away. Yet I wouldn't take this from him. I wouldn't steal our first kiss. I wouldn't take his first kiss. Instead I took something else I wanted. I ran my lips down his throat, over his chest, which was now visible to my hungry gaze, and then down to where his pants stopped my lips. I was kneeling before him, but I enjoyed where I was. He tasted like heaven to me. It was certainly a pleasure to tease him.

"I'll get to work on those lists," I said, standing up and moving back. I gave him a smile and headed over to his desk. There I picked up paper and pen and got to work, unwilling to look back at Heero after what I had just done. Taking a page from Heero's book I began everything by making categories. After all, Heero liked his paperwork neat and orderly. I wasn't about to disappoint him now.

Nuriko: So. . .What do you think?

Heero: :death glare: I hate you.

Jess: I hate you too.

Duo: Oh they only hate you because you left it open without any fun happening.

Nuriko: Not to mention it was total torture for Heero and leaves Jess in a lurch.

Heero/Jess: Omae o Korosu!

Duo/Nuriko: Hai, hai. We know.

Nuriko: Until next chapter, ja mata ne.


	4. Heero POV

Jess: Why that little…. ((grumbles something inaudible at Nuriko's general direction))

Heero: ((looks just as peeved as he glares daggers at Nuri too))

Nuri and Duo: ((look smug))

Jess: Don't think you're gonna get away with that, missy! It's MY turn now, and Heero and I plan to have a little fun at HIS expense! ((looks over at Duo who looks a little like a caged animal right about now))

Heero: Hn.

Jess: Don't you worry at all, Hee-chan. I'll make things better, I promise.

Jess and Heero: ((smirk))

* * *

Lunar Symphony

Chapter 4: Heero POV

I couldn't move. My heart was beating a mile a minute and my breathing wasn't much better. Duo ghosted kisses down my chest and stomach, talking to me in that deep throaty voice he has, making my knees weak. I think I was going to die when I felt his breath just above my belt buckle, then he stood up and walked away.

He just walked away!

"You wanted that list, didn't you Hee-chan?" Duo said as he walked to my desk. Why that little….

I watched as Duo sat down at my desk and began pulling papers out of my drawer and a pen from the cup on the desk top. I stared at him for a good ten seconds, watching him scribble away, keeping his entire focus on that loathsome piece of paper.

I am not good at dealing with emotions. In fact, I've mentioned I go to anger management sessions to control my temper. Truth be told, all my emotions are like that; if I feel something for someone, whether it be good or bad, I feel it intensely. Now that the war is over and done with, I have no reason to deny my emotions or impulses… I just have to learn to control them…

I stalked up to Duo, who was pointedly ignoring me and grabbed the beginning of his braid at the base of his skull. I yanked down hard, snapping his face up to look at me. His eyes were angry and confused over what I'd done, but I didn't give him the chance to voice his complaint. I leaned in, my other hand cupping his jaw as his mouth opened in protest, and pressed my lips against his, and pushed my tongue into his already open mouth. He seemed stunned for a second as I devoured his sweet mouth, but then became responsive and used his tongue to battle mine. I loosened my grip on his hair, but I kept his face pressed against mine, and I enjoyed every second of giving him my first kiss.

We broke apart when I felt he needed to breathe. I looked down at his glazed eyes and that dazed look. You should not have teased me, Duo Maxwell. I smirked at him and without warning, I picked him up and flung him over my shoulder again.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" He yelled, squirming in my grip, trying to get loose.

"Shut up, baka, you'll wake the girl," I hissed. Duo quieted after that and I took the pass card from my kitchen table where Morgana had left it and walked out the door, making sure that the building was secure on the screen of my alarm system on the way out.

I was glad that I had spent my first few days working on the building. From the look of it, it had once been some sort of school and I felt it was the best building I could have possibly picked. This school was surrounded by a fence and was three stories high. Since it already had offices built in, I thought it would be a good place to have the sort of "command center." I was working my way from top to bottom on this building and I noticed that somewhere along the way, this building had been used by squatters who put in what passed for carpets. So far, I had most of the third floor cleaned out as far as the rooms went and I had even gone as far as installing little kitchenettes and bathrooms in a few of them as well as a thin wall or two to make up some semblance of bedrooms. I had wired the alarm system so that I could control it from my private room just to make sure everything was secure. Sure, the halls needed a good coat of paint and the lower levels needed a LOT of work, but that was the least of my concerns right now.

I carried Duo to a room a few doors down from my own. This room was one of the ones I'd been able to fix up and at the moment, I was glad I had. I opened the door with my pass card and locked it from inside when we were in. I carried Duo to the little bedroom I had thankfully installed and dumped him onto the cheap framed double bed I was supplying the rooms with. As soon as he landed on the bed, I pinned him down, my face only just inches from his own.

I felt Duo's breath hitch in his throat as I stared into his beautiful eyes. I knelt over him, my thighs resting on either side of his hips, my hands holding his hands on either side of his head. I leaned down a little, licking his bottom lip, making him shudder.

"You should not have teased me, Duo," I said. "I'm not the same person I was three years ago… I don't hold back unless I have a very good reason to."

I leaned in and kissed him fully on the lips, my tongue making its way into his hot mouth and caressing his own. I sat up slightly and removed my already opened shirt. I pulled open his leather vest and ran my fingers down his smooth chest and down his lean stomach.

"What do I have to do to have you for just one night?" I found myself asking. I hadn't felt like this since the war and back then, I'd suppressed any and all emotions. It isn't until now that I realize that I've felt like this about Duo all along. I felt a tingling sensation in the pit of my stomach as I caressed Duo's soft skin. He was panting slightly, his stomach muscles clenching and releasing against my feathering touches. "You let men and women have your body for money every day, Duo… is that what you want?" I whispered. "Is that what it takes?"

Duo let out a shuddering breath, his hands coming to rest on the taught muscles of my thighs. "No Heero… I would never dream if having you pay for something I'd willingly give you."

Jess: Hey everyone!! This is supposed to be a lemon scene, but since FFN won't let me put it up, you get to read the edited version… if you want to read the full lemon, it's on my site. Oh, since I'm not allowed to put links here, there's a link to my page on my author page (look for jess-eklom). Enjoy the citrus-y goodness while you're there!!

Hours later, I found myself curled up on the bed with Duo in my arms. It was still dark out, but now we were both clean and a sheet had been thrown over our bodies. I leaned in and kissed the back of Duo's soft shoulder, cuddling his body closer to mine as I let my eyes shut again.

I've always wanted to feel this…content… and now I have everything I've ever wanted. I let my consciousness slip away for the night as I entered a world full of pleasant dreams and visions of violet-eyed imps.

That night I prayed. For the first time in my life, I prayed to every god and goddess I could think of that I've never really believed in. I prayed that I had finally found what I was searching for in Duo. I asked that if Duo really was the answer to my prayers, that he be kept safe and that he never be taken from me. That night, I admitted to myself that I did indeed care for Duo more than I wanted anyone, including myself, to know.

* * *

Jess: Hey there!! Sorry this chapter was short on FFN…but…Did you like?

Heero: ((looks very smug as he grins)) Hai.

Duo: ((blushes)) Okay… I'll admit it was fun….

Nuri: ((snickers)) it was all part of my plan to get you to write a lemon

Jess: well I wrote one, and now it's going to be your turn… just be nice to Heero… he is an innocent if you know what I mean…well… at least in this fic he is…

Nuri: You heard her, Duo.

Duo: ((smiles an evil smile)) I'm gonna have fun with Heero!! Nuri, get busy! You have to type your fingers to the bone to get to the part with the next lemon scene!! Hop to it woman!

Nuri: who said I'm giving you a lemon scene, Duo? Just because it's MY turn to write one, doesn't mean you get to be in it

Duo: ((looks hurt, tears glistening in his beautiful eyes)) you don't love me any more? What'd I do?

Nuri: Fine, I'll consider it.

Jess: I'm sorry Heero.. There's only so much I can do to protect you from Nuri.

Heero: Ryokai


	5. Duo POV

Lunar Symphony

Nuriko: :smiles happily: Welcome back to another chapter of Lunar Symphony.

Duo: :smirks gleefully: I can't wait to see their faces.

Nuriko: Don't worry, Duo. You'll get your chance. Just remember, if they can form a team then so can we.

Heero: :with Jess standing away from Nuriko and Duo: Should we worry?

Jess: :worrying her bottom lip: I think so. I'm not certain we should have teased them. I forgot Duo-types enjoy paybacks instead of just sitting by calmly and accepting of what's gone on.

Heero: We should go win them over, huh?

Jess: Let's wait and see what happens.

Duo: Oh I love that. Can we do it again?

Nuriko: Only once, Duo. You've got to pace yourself. You are getting older.

Duo: I'm only twenty years old. If I'm getting old then you're ancient, Nuriko.

Nuriko: :pouts: Why is everyone calling me ancient at twenty four? I know I'm older than Heero, Jess, and you, but I'm not that old.

Duo: :hugs her: Sorry. I was just teasing.

Nuriko: Okay, apology accepted. Now, on to Chapter Five.

Three days ago I had experienced the most beautiful, exquisite, and hauntingly memorable night of my life. My one desire was mine for the whole evening. I could say with all certainty that I know I'll never be able to perform my job requirements on anyone else. There's only one person I crave now, and he certainly won't keep me.

I realized now that Heero had done what he had to do. I had gotten him all worked up and he needed me to finish it. No big deal, that's what I'm here for. That is my job after all. Granted, I've never cum during any of my other jobs, and this one was certainly long awaited, but it was still a job. I didn't see it that way, but I'm certain Heero did. That's why I aimed to keep it from happening again.

While Heero, Relena, Quatre, and Trowa were all busy cleaning house, Morgana and I were busy fixing the homes right next to the one Heero had been working on. Preventer Headquarters had become Morgana's and my new home. The room Heero and I had made love in was now my own. I refused to let anyone steal my happiest memory. Une had almost kissed me when I gave her a list of every crooked person on L2. When I had finished it had been twelve pages long. My second list, the one for Heero, had been twenty pages long. Cleaning up the streets wouldn't be easy. Yet with Trowa helping him, it should go smoothly.

Gaining the help of the older children we were now ready to move the children off the streets and into their new home. Granted not everyone got their own room, but no one complained. It was better than their past situation. Twin sixteen-year-old brothers, Gabriel and Lucian, took care of ever child in the home. They could cook with the best of them and were in charge of making certain no one went hungry. Yet when things got tough, they turned to Morgana, who then turned to me. There were a total of thirty-seven kids in the home, excluding Morgana, who lived with me and Heero's own special someone, Meilindi, whom he had taken in.

It was funny how swiftly Heero had taken to the little six-year-old girl. Mei, as she preferred to be called, was just like Heero. Both were neat freaks and both over-analyzed everything they looked at. Heero had even allowed her little Siamese kitten, Bruce, to live with them. I believed the little light brown haired girl reminded Heero of the one he couldn't save.

Mei had been what was called a professional distracter. She'd play all cute and innocent to distract everyone from what was really going on so the older children could pick pocket from those gathered. Morgana had never required her help, but always split her take with the little girl anyway. She'd never allow Mei to go hungry, even if she, herself, did. All in all I believed she was better off now.

On the third day of my being distant with Heero, I didn't want him to snap again. I wanted him willingly, not forced. On this day it seemed it was like any other. Heero went to work, I got to fixing and cleaning, and Morgana and Met got to check on the kids. Nothing different from the usual. Only Heero came back during lunch, a scowl on his face, and he obviously wasn't happy. Lucian's silver gaze never flinched as Heero stared right at him. We were working on the offices on the first floor of Preventer HQ.

"Duo, my room, now," Heero clipped out. Gabriel smirked, his gray0violet eyes full of mirth. Both boys had long black hair and stood almost six foot tall. Neither had shown any fear toward Heero's icy demeanor, which was easily understandable when their built like a line backer daddy had physically beat them when they were younger.

"Better see what the boss wants," Gabriel, Gabe for short, remarked with his smirk still in place. Both boys had taken to calling Heero 'boss' after he had handed them their first paycheck for helping run the halfway house. The pride in their eyes had been priceless that day.

"Right. Finish this wall, will ya?" I asked, tossing him my paintbrush. I then stood, brushed off my skintight black jeans, and headed for the elevator.

"We'll keep everyone away," Lucian said from behind me as he passed. I gaped at him.

"It's not like that," I managed to say.

"Not for lack of wishing, eh Duo?" Lucian asked in return. I smiled. You can't hide anything from children raised on the streets. Believe me, you can't.

"Get back to work, Lucian. I expect that office finished by the time I get back."

"Right away, Duo," I stepped into the elevator and slid my pass card before hitting the button for the third floor. I realized belatedly that I had left my shirt downstairs. Oh well, there wasn't anything he hadn't seen before. Stepping off the elevator I went to Heero's room and once again slid my pass card. The door opened silently and I entered just as quietly. No sooner had the door shut than I found myself pinned against it, Heero's hard body pressed against my own. I could learn to enjoy this. His warm breath teased my lips, making me want to take what those prefect lips offered.

"Why have you been so distant? Am I that bad? Were the other you've had that much better?" The pain in his voice was unmistakable, the hardness of his length undeniable. He wanted me. Me!! He wanted the lowly streetwalker and I would be a sorry sadistic bastard if I didn't give in. He was all I wanted. All I needed. I loved him too much to let him suffer.

"Hee-chan ' I began softly, slowly leaning into him to press a soft kiss to his lips. He returned it, his hunger evident. "I didn't want to force a reaction from you, so I decided not to get you started." I then trailed warm kisses down his cheeks to his ear, where I gently explored his outer lobe, gaining a shiver. "You weren't that bad. Far from it, in fact." I then brought my lips down his throat. I nibbled softly before soothing the tiny bites with my tongue. His low moan made me hard almost instantly. My nimble fingers made quick work of his clothing until he was standing before me in nothing more than his briefs. "As for your last question, let me tell you this. You are the only person I've found physical release with. I protected you from myself last night. If I didn't care, if you weren't better than all of them, I never would have done it."

Edited for FFN.For full lemon, visit Jess's web site. Although I don't have it up just yet.

I soon found myself sprawled across Heero's chest, unaware of how I got there and uncaring. I was content to lie where I was.

"That was amazing," He murmured, his voice a deep rumble in his chest.

"You should try it in the shower," I mumbled in reply. Heero laughed gently.

"Next time," he whispered. My heart sped and my pulse raced. Next time? That meant he wanted me! I couldn't have been happier in all my life. Just then the phone rang, shattering my dream world. He reached over and picked it up. "Yuy." He paused. "Okay Relena, I'll be there." That said he hung up, disposed of the condom, and then hurriedly dressed.

"Work?" I asked, keeping the pain hidden.

"Relena," he said with a small nod. "Lunch is over and I'm needed at work." Oh, those words hurt. Being someone's lunch fling wasn't fun. Being Heero's made my heart break. I should have known better. I was stupid to think otherwise.

"Take care," I called as he left. I vaguely heard his muffled 'hn' before I couldn't hear him at all. I headed into his bathroom to clean up. I then made certain there was no mess left in his living room before pulling on my jeans. I was a prostitute. I had to remember that. At the end of the day, no one wanted me. Why would Heero be different? I'd get what I could while he was here and when he left I'd deal with things as they came. For now, I had better things to do than cry over my life. I had children to take care of. Children who really did need me, despite my past.

Nuriko: Well?

Jess: Whoa, I wasn't expecting that.

Heero: Nor was I.

Duo: :smirks toward Nuriko: Good job. A very good counter point.

Nuriko: Thanks, I try. Scene's all set. Your turn Jess.

Jess: I'll gladly see what I can do.

Nuriko: Until next chapter, ja mata ne.


	6. Heero POV

Jess: wow Nuri... that last chapter was... something else...((blushes))

Heero: Hn. ((blushes too))

Duo: Did you have to be so mean to me at the end of that last one there, Nuri?

Jess: yes. For this story (or any story for that matter) to be a good story, there has to be conflict. You know how they taught us in school that every plot has a sort of sequence?

Duo: I never went to school

Jess: Well it does! Setting, Primary conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, conclusion.

Duo/Nuri: I like the "climax" part ((snicker))

Jess: ((Stomps foot and glares with all the ferocity of a kitten)) you two are so bad!!

Heero: Hn.

Nuri: You know you love us.

Jess/Heero: Hn.

Lunar Symphony

Chapter Six: Heero POV

I left what was soon to be the local Preventer Headquarters after receiving a call from Relena. My lunch break was over and I was glad that Duo at least didn't hate me for what we'd done. I felt relaxed and content again after being with Duo. I never knew I'd need him this much.

I walked down the street, looking like any other punk vandal to meet Trowa. After Duo had given me his list, I asked Une if she could give me some backup and since I don't really work well with others, she sent Trowa. It seems that he's the only one immune to my glares and prickly personality. Yes, I do know I'm not the most socially inclined person. Yes, I do know I'm anal retentive about having things my way. Yes, I know I take getting used to.

I turned down another street and into an ally where I'd meet Trowa. We were supposed to stake out this area and wait until the person we were after to show himself. We couldn't just arrest him because he was on Duo's list... we needed to entrap him.

Trowa was standing nonchalantly in the ally, cleaning his nails with the point of a knife when I came up to him.

"Yo," I called.

"Yo," he answered.

I walked up to him and leaned against the brick wall as well. "Been here long?"

"No, just got here five minutes ago."

"Hn"

"You and Maxwell patched things up?" He asked. I had told him that I had found Duo and that he was helping me with the halfway house/orphanage.

I couldn't help but smile a little, "Hai. I think so. We had an... eventful lunch hour."

Trowa peered at me from under his long auburn bangs that covered half his face, "You mean to tell me that you and Duo had a lunch-hour quickie when he's been avoiding you these past three days?" I nodded. "Well... how did it happen? Did you guys talk?"

"For someone so quiet, you sure are a gossip." I snorted, then answered him, "I went to HQ where he was working on a wall and told him we had to talk. I led him to my room, then we just... you know..."

Trowa stared at me for a second before asking, "Then what?"

"Well, Relena called and told me that you were waiting for me so I left."

"And what did you tell Duo?"

"That I had to go back to work."

Trowa shook his head, covering his eyes and sighing in exasperation, "You, Yui, are an asshole! How could you do that to the baka?"

I was confused, something I don't like to be. "What are you talking about, Barton?"

"You don't just go in there, wham-bam-thank-you-man, and expect things to be good between you! You told me yourself that Duo was a prostitute when you found him again, right?" I nodded and he continued, "Well, genius, what do you think is going on in that twisted little mind of his?" I shrugged and he smacked the back of my head, "THINK! He probably thinks you just want a body to take out your frustrations on."

I was horrified. Duo wouldn't think I just wanted a prostitute would he? Of course not... we were partners before the war...that has to count for something. On second thought, I was convinced that he probably thought of me as another customer... but he said... he said that I was what he wanted, or at least I think he did.

"Duo wouldn't think that," I said firmly.

Trowa sighed, "Be that as it may, that's not how you treat someone you want to be with. There's what Quatre calls 'rules of engagement' when it comes to courting. You have to be nice to him, buy him presents, hug him, tell him you love him... assuming that you do, of course... you have to let him know that he's special to you. You know, flowers, dinner, dancing, movies, chocolates... that sort of thing. You need to learn how to be a gentleman and treat Duo like a... well... lady."

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Are you serious?" At his nod, I had to wonder, "And you did all this with Quatre?"

Trowa had the decency to blush but shook his head, "No, but we were in a war at the time. We didn't have a chance to go through the courting rituals, but Quatre made sure that we more than made up for it when peace was declared. Now, things couldn't be better."

"And you treat him like a lady?" I couldn't help but smirk.

"Well, obviously I let him be himself and since he's not female, it'd be a blow to his pride to treat him like one all the time, but little things like opening doors, holding doors open and letting him pass first, pulling out his chair, and winning him stuffed animals at the carnival make all the difference. You have to let Duo know you care, Heero... you don't even have to go to the extreme, but for god's sake! Don't treat him like a hooker!"

"Hn."

I let that sink in for the rest of the day. We caught the guy we were tailing along with his little gang and sniffed out some rats in the process. I didn't think I was treating Duo like a hooker and that was that...

---------------

I walked into our building and noticed that the office had been finished. Those kids sure do work fast under Duo's guidance. I just hoped there was no child labor infringement going on. I looked around the building, but no one seemed to be there so I went next door to the orphanage... or rather, what would soon be an orphanage. Sitting just outside the doors to the building was little Mei. She was petting her cat, Bruce and seemed to be waiting for something when I walked up.

"Why are you sitting here all alone, Mei-mei?" I asked.

The child looked at me and stood up, letting Bruce off her lap. "I was waiting fo you, Heewo," she said. "Can we talk?"

I nodded and she led me back to the building I had come from and marched up the stairs to the third floor. She made her way to the room I now shared with her, produced her pass card, and went in. Once inside, she closed and locked the door, pulled up a little stool to stand on, and set the alarm system so that we'd know if someone was coming. Smart kid.

Mei hopped off her little stool and glared at me. "Sit down, Heewo. We need to talk." I did as I was told and sat down on the low couch in my room. "Now," she began, "I know you did somethin to Duo and I don like it. I don like the way you tweat him and I don like the way he looked when you left. I know that adults do things togetha and that we 'kids' shouldn know about it." She glared harder at me, "Duo desewves betta than that. We all know what goes on with gwown ups because we have to gwow up too soon. Evewyone knows what Duo used to do and I thought you were above tweating him like that."

I was stunned. The kids knew that Duo and I had been intimate? They thought I was hurting Duo? "Mei...Did Duo say something? Did I hurt him?"

I suppose she could see I was genuinely concerned because she answered, her glare softened, "Duo didn say nothin'. I saw the look on his face when he came out of yo woom tho. He looked like he wanted to cwy but he didn't let hisself. He put on a smile and went back to wook. I see what goes on in this place and I see what goes on between you two. Stop huwting Duo or I'll sick my Bruce-face on you!"

I wanted to laugh at her little childish threat, but I kept my face serious. "Understood Mei-mei. Do you think I should talk to Duo now and get things straightened out?"

Mei nodded at me and took my hand as I disarmed the alarm and led us out of the room. Yeah, I was an idiot... it only took a lecture from a friend and a scolding from a child to let me see that. I'd fix things with Duo no matter what it took. Now that I knew how much I cared about him, nothing was going to hold me back.

Jess: ((tosses ficcie back to Nuri)) Ever feel like we're playing hot Potato?

Nuri: ((catches it and smirks)) Now that you mention it, yes.

Duo: You two have too much fun tampering with our love lives, you do realize that, don't you?

Jess/Nuri: Yes ((grin))

Heero: Why do you fight it, Duo? Sure, they put us in tight spots sometimes, give us angst and whatnot, but they always manage to make a happy ending out of it all. Don't jinx it!

Duo: ... I guess you're right, Hee-chan.

Jess: AWW!! I love watching those two agree with each other. Until next time!

Nuri: Ja matta ne!

Jess: HEY! This is MY chapter, I get the last line!

Duo/Nuri: Bye everyone!!

Jess: Grr...


	7. Duo POV

Lunar Symphony

Nuriko: :sits before her paperwork, pencil in hand: Ya know, Duo, playing hot potato is pretty fun. I don't know when I've had so much fun.

Duo: Writing stories with Jess over the phone seems to keep your mind sharp.

Nuriko: :nods: I'm stuck only being able to get online once a week. It's the same with using the computer. So it'll take some time to update.

Duo: Yet fans will certainly find it worth the wait.

Nuriko: Of course. I never make people wait unless it's important.

Duo: :looks around: Where's Hee-chan and Jess?

Nuriko: Last I knew they had some plans. They wanted to plan something for upcoming chapters.

Duo: Is that a wise thing to do?

Nuriko: :smirks: It's perfectly all right.

Duo: :raises an eyebrow: What are you planning?

Nuriko: You'll see, Duo. Just be patient.

Duo: I'll try. Patience isn't my strong point.

Nuriko: I know. Now, on to chapter seven.

Chapter Seven:

After Heero left I had taken time to pull myself together before going back down to help the twins finish the offices. They were almost finished with the last room when I found them so I agreed to allow them to finish up on their own, provided they cleaned up afterwards. They then agreed to meet over at the halfway house once finished so they could help with the last room in need of work.

"Duo! Cassie wants to cook tonight," Mei called as she rushed up to me. She was adorable, especially when she tried saying words with R's in them.

"As long as Lucian and Gabe don't mine, I'm certain it'll be all right," Mei grinned and took a seat on the front step, Bruce curling up on her lap. I grinned in return.

"I'll wait hewe fow Lucian and Gabe to come back, then I'll ask them."

"All right. If you get bored though. . ."

"I won't," she cut in. "Bwuce is with me." I patted her head and went inside. Instantly Chris, Travis, and Mark tackled me. They were fans of the Gundams and therefore fans of the former pilots as well. When they had learned about my former status they had become stuck to me like glue whenever I'd allow them to be stuck to me, which was often.

"Duo! Tell us more about the wars!" Mark called. I smirked then. There was always a way to gain their help.

"I'll do it at story time, after we finish the play room." Mark jumped up and down while Chris and Travis cheered. "This does mean you three will have to help out."

"We will," Travis answered for all of them.

"Good. Gather everyone together except for Mei, Lucian, Gabe, Cassie, Sandra, and Collin. The little ones, Kyle, Harry, Violet, Kourin, and Ian aren't required either. Everyone else needs to be in the play room."

"Got it, Duo. Come on," Chris said, running off with Mark and Travis hot on his heels. I grinned once again and turned to see Lucian entering the entrance hall.

"Lucian, Cassie wants to cook tonight."

"Let her. Gabe and I are fairly tired as is. After we finish the play room, we won't be up to cooking." I nodded.

"I know that feeling all to well." I then thought a moment. "Ask Sandra if she can handle the five on her own. Then see if Collin will help Cassie in the kitchen." Lucian nodded.

"You got it Duo. Will Heero and Mei be joining us tonight?" I felt my previous sadness hit like a sledgehammer and I shook it off quickly.

"I don't know. Have her make enough, just in case."

"How's your room coming?" Lucian questioned. I smiled sadly. Just last night Gabe, Lucian, and I had hauled furniture up to the live-in staff quarters on the third floor of the halfway house. After having accepted Lady Une's job offer to manage this place, I knew it was only a matter of time before Heero was sent off on a new mission. I aimed to be settled in here before he told me he was leaving.

"Duo! This came for you!" Gabe called, coming into the entrance hall from outside. I took the large envelope from his hands and grinned when I read both the address and return address. Une had come through, and in more ways than one.

"My rooms done Lucian. I finished it earlier today. Also, thanks Gabe. Tell Luc he can begin work on that sign. Une's named the halfway house." I refused to call it an orphanage. Not every child here was here because their parents were dead. Some had been tossed aside like yesterdays news. This way, there were no distinctions between the children. It was hard enough having no family as it was, without the added pressure of labels.

"What did she decide on?"

"Maxwell's Haven. We'll keep it as long as everyone agrees to it." Lucian and Gabe cheered.

"Of course we'll all agree. We all love you tons, Duo. Besides, you were once in the same situation as all of us are now. It's the best name I've heard yet." I hugged Lucian then, tears in my eyes but I wouldn't let them fall. I was very grateful for his words.

"Fine, leave me out of all the hugging. See if I care," Gabriel muttered under his breath jokingly. I laughed with Lucian and then hugged Gabe as well.

"Enough. We have a room to finish." We all grinned then and headed for our last room in need of being finished.

The Haven. That was what most of the children had taken to calling the halfway house. It seemed Maxwell's Haven was accepted without any trouble and was now shortened to the Haven by all who loved the place. I felt honored to have them name it after me. In a way, I also saw it as a way of honoring Father Maxwell, who had given me so much.

Dinner was at least an hour and a half away. The play room was now awaiting furniture, which would be put in tomorrow, giving the paint plenty of hours to dry before then. The children were gathered around me in the entertainment room, which had enough seats for all of them to sit comfortably. It was time for me to keep to my end of my bargain with the Fan boys and tell them stories from my time as a Gundam pilot. They had all ready heard about HeavyArms, SandRock, and Altron. Only Heero's and my Gundam were left to tell them about.

"Which Gundam shall I talk about tonight?" I asked them.

"How about the Wing Gundam?" Cassie asked from the kitchen, which was just off of the entertainment room. I knew my heart would hurt while I talked about Heero, but I couldn't refuse the kids their story.

"What is this? Does no one love poor old DeathScythe?" I questioned, pretending to be hurt.

"Of course we do. We're just saving the best for last," Mark said with a grin. You couldn't fault logic like that, ya know.

"After all, DeathScythe was the only Gundam with a very sophisticated stealth system," Travis added, making me grin. I had to admire these kids for learning more about the Gundams than most of our enemies had ever been able to find out.

"All right, Wing Zero it is." Morgana quietly sat beside me, leaning against me. I grinned as I saw Mei walk in. She'd enjoy this as well. What none of the kids knew was that the very person they had come to like and eat dinner with was the mysterious pilot of Wing Zero.

"Who piloted it?" Luc asked.

"What was its specialty?" Chris asked.

"How did Wing Gundam gain the name Wing Zero?" Collin questioned from the kitchen. I chuckled. Obviously everyone had been waiting for this one to come up.

"One question at a time, please," I remarked. I then looked toward Collin, whose head was sticking out of the kitchen. "Collin's question first." I sighed as if this was trying but it only made the children giggle. "Wing first became known as Wing Zero when the zero system was installed in it. The zero system was thought run and heightened the pilot's capabilities to way beyond normal. The one who piloted Wing Zero had to be in total control of himself. They had to be able to tell the difference between truth and what the zero system wanted them to see. Almost every Gundam pilot worked with the zero system. Only one of them refused to even so much as look at, let alone pilot with it."

"Why not? Wasn't the zero system able to make the pilot more skilled?" I shook my head, looking at Morgana, who had been the one to ask the question.

"For 04 it actually drove him insane instead of making him more skilled. He tried to kill everyone in his path. For 03 is gave him back his memories, but at almost the cost of the entire L3 colony. 05 became confused as to what our true purpose was."

"That leaves 01 and 02, right?" Gabe asked, leaning close with interest.

"Correct. 01 was the zero systems pilot. He alone understood it and controlled it. He didn't let it control him. 02, which is myself, never went near it. At least, I never used it. Even now, I'm glad I never tried it."

"How come?" a young girl with an eye patch asked. I remembered her name was Kali.

"Back then, I called myself Shinigami, the God of Death. With my may of thinking, no one would have been safe."

"My question now?" Chris asked. I nodded. That was a bit safer than where things had been going.

"Wing's specialty was combat. Its main weapon, the buster rifle, and later on the twin buster rifle, were unrivaled. It was with this weapon in fact, the twin buster rifle, that 01 was able to save Earth. Not just once, but twice. The first time was from a falling space station. 01 risked burning up on entry into Earth in order to end the war once and for all. Yet it wasn't the end, as we all know. The Eve's War stopped us from destroying the Gundams. We fought one last time, but once again it was 01 in Wing Zero that actually saved us all."

"You speak vewy highly of 01," Mei said softly, her eyes contemplative.

"Of course I do. He was my partner. Many of our missions were done together, as a team. He was very crazy at first, almost suicidal. His favorite past time was hitting the self-destruct button on Wing. When we first met, in fact, I had shot him twice. I then had the pleasure of breaking him out of a hospital and then watching him set his own broken leg without any pain medicine. Then I got locked up and 01 came to kill me so I couldn't tell them about the Gundams."

"Kill you!?" the children exclaimed. I laughed softly.

"Don't worry. As you can see, he didn't kill me. I got on his nerves plenty of times. Quite a bit actually, if I'm to be truthful and all his 'Omae o korosu's' meant anything. Omae o Korosu means I'll kill you in Japanese. Needless to say, he never could. Now, it's time to give Luc's question an answer.

"The one who saved everyone, not just once but twice, the one who was and is my partner and best friend, and the one who has always been a lot of fun to rile up, the pilot 01, Wing and Wing Zero, is none other than. . ."

"Me," Heero said, interrupting me before I could say anything else. "Back then I was known as the perfect soldier, cold and logical. I refused to feel anything. Emotions were a liability I couldn't afford."

"Did you weally think and act like that?" Mei asked. The children watched him in awe. I have to admit; I was a little in awe of him as well. I always had been.

"I did. Then something happened that went beyond all my logic. Someone who was the very opposite of everything I had come to believe in had dropped into my life and wouldn't leave. Yet his skill was unrivaled and his ability to fight with emotions intriguing. I kept by him so I could learn how he worked and thought. Little did I know that I wouldn't just learn what made him tick, but I'd also begin to live by his beliefs, just not quite as loudly as he was."

"Who?" Gabe asked, caught up in Heero's words as much as the rest of the kids and I was. He had began to live by my beliefs? I had never even noticed.

"We didn't get along at first. I had planned on killing him once, when he had gotten captured. Yet as I held my gun on him, he had looked right at me with those expressive violet eyes, a smile on his lips, and said the one thing I had never expected from him." I grinned, looking him right in the eye.

"'I always knew you'd be the one to kill me'," I said, gaining gasps from the children. They hadn't been expecting that one.

"It was you, Duo? You risked the Perfect Soldier's ideals?" Morgana questioned, having heard plenty of stories about my encounters with 01 and only now putting it all together.

"Of course. Being flawless in whatever you do is fine. Tossing aside part of your self, your humanity, to be that good was just plain unacceptable to me. I knew I had to help him. Besides, I was Shinigami. I couldn't afford to be afraid of myself. Thus, it was only fitting that the one man unafraid of death would be the one to kill me."

"Is that what you were thinking back then?" Heero asked, his eyes unreadable.

"No, but it sure sounds cool, huh?" I asked, gaining laughs from the children. I smiled while Heero shook his head, a small smile on his lips. "Actually, my thoughts were fairly simple back then. The only death I'd allow myself was by the hands of an angel. Seeing as they're perfect beings, Heero was the closest to them for me."

"Not to mention you had a crush on him and would only allow him to be the last thing you saw," Morgana added. I felt my cheeks heat. I didn't want to explain why one man cared for another. I really didn't.

"Did you fall in love with the perfect soldier?" Sandra asked. I smiled softly. I was obviously underestimating my kids again.

"I did. I made it my life's mission to grant him some small bit of humanity."

"In which you succeeded in giving me back all of it. Enough so that I can love a little girl and her kitten, a very sly pick-pocket, and a braided baka," Heero replied. My heart skipped a beat. Had Heero just said he loved me? "As well as all the children here." My heart and pulse settled down. He was just playing it up for the kids. I should have realized sooner when Mei was the first one he mentioned.

"Whoa, are you two gonna stay together?" Luc asked, having always looked up to Heero. His left leg was prosthetic, so he couldn't keep up completely in most sports. Heero had told him that he could accomplish anything, as long as he believed he could. I laughed and waved his words off.

"Don't start. We've only been talking lately for the past three and a half days. Before that, we were out of touch for three years. Besides, last I knew, Miss Relena cared about him too. He did save her a lot. Almost like he was her own personal knight in a big shiny Gundam," I replied. For those words I got a high level death glare from Heero and he got the third degree on Relena. I smiled slyly and slipped out of the house. Once outside, my smile fell, my eyes filling with tears.

When Relena called he'd always go. If she were in danger, he'd save her. That was how it was. Heero loved Relena he just didn't realize it. He needed some form of pleasure, seeing as not even he could catch a moment alone with her. I sniffed once and straightened. I could do this. I'd love him while he allowed me to. I'd savor every caress, every touch, and every kiss until he needed me no longer. That was what I had taught him, after all, to be true to ones self.

Instantly, I felt the pain subside. There would be time enough for it once he was gone. Even then, the children would help ease it. I would love him unconditionally while he was here and let him go when the time came. As the old saying goes, 'When you love something, let it go. If it comes back, its meant to be'. I let Heero go once, as a friend, and he came back to help me clean up my life. Soon, I'd let him go as my love. When that day came, I'd face it proudly. My normal, pain free smile in place, I leaned against the wall and waited for a very angry Hee-chan to come looking for me.

Nuriko: How's that?

Duo: Well resolved with a ton of misunderstanding. I love it.

Jess: As do I.

Heero: This goes well with your plans Jess.

Jess: I know it. Then again, I can always trust Nuri for that.

Nuriko: :bows: Thanks, I try.

Duo: I think it went well considering you were writing till two o'clock last night. Then again in the morning.

Nuriko: Duo! Don't tell them that!

Jess: It's all right, Nuri. We all know how crazy you are with your stories.

Nuriko: Thanks. Until next chapter.

All Except Heero: Ja mata ne!

Heero: Hn, bakas. Every last one of you.


	8. Heero POV

Jess: Hi there! Can you believe I was hit on yesterday?

Duo: Of course you were! Who wouldn't hit on a cutie like you? ::being a suck up::

Heero: Hn. Is this another one of your pointless stories?

Nuri: Heero, be nice. So… what did you do?

Jess: umm…::blushes:: I didn't know what to say… I think I came off as a total moron.

Nuri: Heero moment, huh? Didn't know how to respond.

Heero: Hn.

Jess: Yeah, when you put it that way, I guess it was a Heero moment… but then he said I was intimidating to "dumb guys like him"

Duo: That's why I hide the fact that I'm a genius.

Heero: Baka

Duo: See? It works!

Jess: Enough of my little sad life. On with the story!!!

Lunar Symphony

Chapter 8: Heero POV

Duo has feelings for me. I guess I knew that already because of what happened just a few days ago and earlier today, but it's just now hitting me how much he cares. I was about to walk into what was now being called "Maxwell's Haven" when I heard his soft tenor voice relate stories of our war-wrought past. I had never heard him talk about the war since we split up shortly after that and I hadn't seen him until now. He spoke about me like I was something to be worshipped, like I was some sort of idol in his eyes. The children around him ooh-ed and Ahh-ed at the appropriate intervals. They asked questions and earned answers I didn't realize Duo possessed about me, but he never mentioned who I was. When finally he was going to answer the young one who asked the name of Wing's pilot, I came into the room and announced I was the pilot.

Duo left shortly after that with a passing comment about Relena that insinuated that she and I were in some sort of romantic relationship. The children pounced on that bit of information as soon as it was said, all wanting to know what Relena was like and my feelings toward her.

"Is she really as pretty in real life as she is on TV?" the little girl with the eye patch, Kali, asked.

I smiled at her, taking a seat on the armrest of the couch before answering, "Yes, in fact. She's beautiful, but what makes her beautiful isn't her face or body, she has beautiful ideals and convictions. Relena is a pure soul as far as I'm concerned which is an admirable trait given that she's been raised and is now living in a world of sharks. True, Relena is a politician and she might be a bit out of touch with the workings of the real world because she's been sheltered, but she still has a firm grasp on reality and what her people need in order to maintain the peace." Kali smiled at me when I said that it wasn't Relena's physical form that made her beautiful.

"Are you in love with Relena, then?" asked Morgana. For all her tomboyish attitude, she still had the heart of a romantic.

I laughed a little and shook my head. "No, I'm not in love with Relena-"

"But Duo said that you saved her lots and lots of times!" Travis interrupted. He and the other two-gundam fans looked at me intently, as if daring me to deny it.

"Yes, I saved her. She is they key to peace, and I look over her as one would look over a little sister. I'm sure that if any of you in this room were in trouble, any of the rest of you would try and help as best you could." That got me a round of nods and a few of the older kids moved to hover over the younger ones in a very protective manner. "See? You all know what I'm talking about. I love Relena, that's true enough, but I love her like a sister and I'm in love with what she stands for. She is a symbol of peace and I am a war-hardened soldier. I would do anything to protect the peace I fought so hard for and that's why I protect Relena to the best of my ability."

"So you don't love her?" Luc asked.

"I do love her, but I'm not IN love with her… do you understand the difference?" I got a room full of nods.

"I wish I could be like you," Luc said with sad eyes. "I'm just a burden on all the guys here…I'm not strong and I can't do anything." He reached down and stroked his prosthetic leg, looking like a broken little boy.

"Hey," I picked him up and sat him on my knee, "You can do anything you set your mind to. Don't let this," I tapped the plastic limb, "stop you from accomplishing your goals. If anything, it could be to your advantage."

Luc looked up at me as though I had grown a second head, "How?"

"Well… people will underestimate you and your ability. The same thing happened with us because we looked too young to pose any sort of threat, and you all know where that led. Don't let someone tell you you can't do something because THEY don't think you can. Only you know what your capable of, got it?"

Luc nodded happily and I set him down on the couch. "I'm going to find Duo… is there anything you all need?"

"Go on! We'll be fine!" Cassie called from the kitchen where she and Collin were cooking.

I nodded and let myself out of Maxwell's Haven.

I stepped outside into the dimming lights of the colony's environment controls and found Duo leaning against the wall of the building, arms crossed over his chest, seemingly in deep thought. I walked over to him silently and called his name.

Duo jumped, startled out of his musings then realized where he was. "Heero," he said, pulling a set of folded papers from his back pocket and handing them to me. I took them and looked over them in the dimming light when he said, "I'm adopting Morgana."

I looked up sharply as he said it. I suppose it made sense to want to adopt her since they had been living together as father/daughter for a while now. It just never occurred to me that he'd make it legal one day. That got me thinking about Mei and how I had met her. She had been standing under a tree, crying, with a dog barking up said tree.

Flashback

"Are you okay?" I asked the little girl with soft brown hair and green-hazel tear-filled eyes.

She looked up at me as if she wasn't sure if she could trust me then pointed up at a white cat with dark brown points and blue eyes. "That meanie dog scawed my Bwuce up the twee!"

I looked at the dog and gave him my best glare. It looked at me defiantly for a few moments then whimpered and scampered off. The little girl was happy to see the dog leave, but her cat still wouldn't come down. The girl looked like she wanted to cry again, giving me no other choice but to go up there and get her kitten.

"Here, hold my jacket," I told her, handing the Preventer jacket to her and hoping she didn't make off with it. I then loosened my tie (I was just coming back from a meeting) and rolled up the sleeves to my shirt. I was glad my uniform required boots and not shoes with the hard soles and jumped up, catching the lowest limb of the tree. I then hauled myself up and swung my lower body onto the branch so that I sat on it.

I maneuvered my body to go from limb to limb until I was able to reach the Siamese fuzz ball that quivered on a branch. I picked up the little frightened kitten and held him against my chest, letting it scurry down my shirt to curl up between the starched fabric and my cotton undershirt. I then made quick work of getting on firm ground and landed right in front of the little girl.

She smiled brightly at me and gave me my jacket as I handed her back her kitten. She hugged it tightly, but not tightly enough to hurt it then kissed the kitten's head.

"What's your name?" I asked.

She looked at me warily but answered, "Meilindi…. But I like Mei better."

I nodded and held out my hand to her, "Nice to meet you Mei, I'm Heero Yuy. Where are your parents?"

Mei pouted and looked away, "I dun got no pawents."

"Then why don't you come with me? I'm sure Duo and Morgana would love for you to join us…" I wheedled. I know I was sounding suspicious asking a little girl to follow me, but I don't really know how to deal with children.

"Duo and Mowgana?" she asked, trying to hide the hope in her eyes.

"Yes, we're building a big house for all the kids in this neighborhood who don't have one of their own. Why don't you come by and see if you like it?"

The girl seemed to consider it for a second and nodded, "Okay, I'll go with you… but I'm not pwomising anythin."

End Flashback

I nodded at Duo; I think I'll adopt Mei and her kitty… on that note… I think I'll adopt Luc too. I doubt anyone would give him the support he needs to overcome his disability.

"You're okay with that?" Duo asked.

I nodded, "Why shouldn't I be?"

Duo looked at me a little curiously, "Well, you know… I thought you'd be more into the family values thing and since I'm not married or whatever, I thought you'd disapprove."

I shrugged, "You've got me thinking… maybe I should adopt Mei and Luc…it's something to think about."

"What?! You can't just adopt a kid just like that Heero! What will Relena say?"

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Why does it matter?"

"Well… umm… you know… you and she are together, aren't you?" Duo blushed a little and tried to hide his face while playing with the end of his braid.

I couldn't help it. I laughed. I laughed so much and so hard, I had to lean against the building for support. It was just too funny. The thought of Relena and me together was just absurd. "Duo," I gasped, "Why don't we go inside and talk. There's a lot of air to clear between us if you think Relena and I are together."

Duo nodded a little, but there was a hint of emotion I didn't recognize in his eyes. We walked into the Preventer HQ building and made our way to my room. At the present time, only Duo's rooms and mine were being occupied. The children and the older kids were all staying next door at the haven. We went into my room and Duo flopped onto my couch, looking like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. I offered him something to drink, but he refused, so I made my way to him and sat next to him, turning my body toward his.

Duo stared straight down at his hands resting between his legs and startled me when he spoke, "I'm moving out, Heero."

His voice was so quiet I barely heard it. "You're moving?" He nodded, still not looking at me. "Where? Why??"

Duo sighed, one hand coming up to cradle his head, "Look Heero, it's not really a big deal, you know? I'm just moving next door so that I can be with the kids if they need me. You know my door is always open if you need me. That shouldn't be a problem."

He went quiet after that, perhaps waiting for my response. "You still didn't answer why."

Duo blushed a little; keeping his head down and not letting me see his eyes, "Well… I said I didn't want to be a Preventer. Sooner or later, this place is going to be up and running and I'm going to be needed with the kids. I don't need the Preventers as a part of my life… and when you leave, I don't want to be away from my kids."

"Leave?"

Duo nodded sadly, "I know you live on Earth, Heero. I also know that once you clean up here, you'll be sent back home. I'm not sure if I'll be able to handle it, but the kids will help me get through it." He shrugged, "it's fine though… I'm here while you want me around." He turned to me and gave me a weak smile that obviously was meant to hide how hurt he was. Mei was right.

"Duo let me apologize for today… I know I wasn't being sensitive and I probably made you think things that weren't true."

"Oh?" Duo tried to look nonchalant, but I knew that he was trying hard to hide his emotions.

"Well to start with, you seem to think that Relena and I are involved." Duo looked away, worrying the tip of his braid between his fingers. "We are not now, nor have ever been involved in anything other than friendship. In fact, I think of her as maybe a sister. She is someone I need to protect, but not someone I want for myself. In case you hadn't noticed, Duo… I'm gay."

THAT got a response from him. He looked at me with bright, but guarded violet eyes. It was almost as though he was afraid of believing me.

"Do you really believe that I'll leave sometime soon, Duo?"

He nodded, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

"Do you want me to?" He shook his head 'no' and bit his bottom lip. I smiled at him, caressing his soft cheek, "What is it you expect of me?"

Duo looked away, trying to regain his composure. "You don't want to know, and I don't want to get shot."

"Try me. I won't hurt you… at least not intentionally," I whispered, my fingers itching to touch him again.

"I expect you to be the Perfect Soldier you're known to be. I expect you to stay here as long as it takes, do your job, then leave. You'll stay here long enough to use me and then leave me." He took a shuddering breath and brought his legs up to the couch, wrapping his arms around his knees. "I don't expect much, Heero… but I can keep pretending while I can."

I felt my cheeks flush and my heartbeat quicken. He thought I was just like all those others who came and used him before disposing of him as though he didn't matter! I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Trowa was right; I'm such an idiot. How could I have led Duo to think those things?! I pride myself of my observance and how well I can read people, but I've failed miserably where I should have been paying more attention.

"Duo… I…I'm sorry you feel that way…I never meant to make you feel like that." I reached out slowly and put my arm around him tentatively. Gently, I pulled him into my arms and felt him melt against me, his strong arms reaching out to hold me tight. "Duo, I'm not going to leave you. I know I was being a baka earlier… I… I actually wanted to apologize for it when I came back… but then all this happened. I didn't know I was hurting you this much."

Duo mumbled something that I couldn't quite hear.

"What was that?"

"I said," Duo looked up at me, his eyes moist, but no tears spilled, "What's the catch?"

"No catch."

"Then why are you staying with me? You're just going to stick around because you know that you can have me any time you-"

"Is that what you think?!" I asked, horrified. Duo nodded. "If that's the case, I deserve the two tongue lashings I got today and more."

"Oh?"

"Never mind," I said as I waved off the question, "I care about you, Duo… more than I thought I ever could… I'm just really lousy at showing it. I want to stay with you now that I've found you again… if you'll have me."

Duo blushed a little, "You mean it?" I nodded. "Well… I do have something to ask…"

"Anything," I answered, tightening my hold on him.

Duo cuddled against my chest and practically purred, "I'm a jealous person, Heero… and I don't want anything taking your time away from me… If you want us to be together…" he paused, grinning at me.

"Just say it, Duo," I was getting a little impatient.

"Quit the Preventers."

"Accepted."

Jess: … wow… that was a long chapter for me. Hee hee… what do you think?

Duo: Did you have to make me cry there at the end?

Heero: You didn't actually cry… you almost did, though.

Nuri: Back to me! It's MY turn. ::insert evil laugh::

Duo: Should we be afraid?

Heero: Hn.

Jess: I would be if I were you.

Nuri: I'm not saying a word

Duo: You've just said five

Heero: Shut up baka don't taunt her.

Jess: Until next time!!


	9. Duo POV

Lunar Symphony

Nuriko: :grins gleefully: Now if I can just have this happen. . . :trails off, nibbling her lower lip:

Duo: :reads over her shoulder: Having fun, Nuri?

Nuriko: Yeah. I'm just wondering what to do next.

Duo: :eyes widen as he catches up: Whoa, what are you planning?

Nuriko: :blinks: Why does everyone ask me that?

Duo: Because it's a pretty good question to ask around you.

Nuriko: :smirks: You shall see, then.

Duo: Where's Jess and Heero again?

Nuriko: Who knows? Last I knew, Heero was still angry with me.

Duo: For Part Eight of Magic and Mobile Suits?

Nuriko: :nods: I'm fairly certain Jess is upset with me as well, if only to humor him.

Duo: What you're planning won't make him any happier.

Nuriko: :once again turning back to her work, smirk on her lips: Perhaps not. Then again, who knows? We'll find out later.

Duo: You're asking to actually be killed by him someday.

Nuriko: :frowns: I don't want him to hate me, I just want stories with a good story line. If everything goes smoothly then no one enjoys what's written.

Duo: Good point, Nuri.

Nuriko: I've always believed so. :looks at her work: Can you make the usual introduction?

Duo: :nods: All right. I'll also ask Heero to forgive you. You're always a mess when one of us is upset with you. :turns to the readers: Now, on to chapter nine.

Chapter Nine:

I stared into his handsome face and stunning Prussian blue eyes and knew my jaw must have hit the floor. Had he just said what I think he had? Had he just told me he'd quit? That he'd quit because I wanted him to? What planet did I get tossed onto to have this happen?

"You'll quit? Just like that?" I asked. I couldn't help but press my cheek into his gentle touch. Oh how I loved this man. I loved him so much.

"Just like that, Duo. I want you to know I'm not using you. I want more than just your body. I want you, all of you." I felt tears sting my eyes. I refused to cry, because men just don't cry. He was trying so hard. Yet I couldn't see things this easy. Heero loved being a Preventer. I couldn't make him leave something he loved.

"Heero, come on now, be reasonable. Being a Preventer is everything you enjoy. I can't take that away from you. I'd never take that from you." I sighed and reluctantly moved away from the warmth of Heero's touch.

"Sure I enjoy being a Preventer, Duo. I've always been a soldier. I've never been anything else. Yet, there's something I want more than a job. Something I can only have with you by my side." Darn it! Why did he have to become so sweet now? My eyes burned with tears that I struggled to hold back. It was a struggle, for certain, but I managed it. Why did Heero have to begin to love me now? Now, when I wasn't worthy of such an emotion, especially from him. Had seeing me on the street caused him to feel this way? It stumped me to no end.

"Heero, don't start. Don't say what I know is on the tip of your tongue. I couldn't handle that right now. I really can't handle that now. Just let me go on with things as they are. Just remain my lover, Heero, my friend, my partner." I was falling apart. I wasn't ready to know what Heero felt. My three years as a prostitute had twisted me. I really believed I wasn't worth all of this. He sighed softly and nodded.

"All right Duo. We'll handle things your way." I smiled then, grateful for his understanding. I moved then, throwing myself into his arms. He wrapped his strong arms around me. So much strength, so much power, and yet he was so gentle with me. I slowly moved up and pressed my lips against his. It was a kiss full of the love neither one was willing to vocalize.

Edited for FFN. For full lemon, got to Jess's site.

What was he thinking with those cobalt eyes so serious? I was beginning to realize he had me thinking a lot of questions that I had absolutely no answers to. He was still perfect to look at. His chest was well built and my every bedtime fantasy. There was not a scar on him; even though he's been injured more times than I could remember. I, personally, had two scars on my body, but no one has ever seemed to notice them. It's funny, I made it through the wars without anything to mark me and then I find myself marked twice afterwards. One was on my back, right in the middle of it. It was slightly raised and pink on the otherwise flawless pale skin. It happened two years ago, when a customer tried to make me into a pincushion.

The other one was on my left leg. It was small, almost invisible, but you could feel it when you ran your hand over it. That one happened while I was first adjusting to life back on L2. One of the children had stabbed me with a letter opener in order to get away. To this day I wasn't upset with Luc for it. He was only trying to survive, the same as anyone else would.

Edited for FFN.

"Lay down, my Heero. We need some sleep. Will you lay with me and hold me tonight?" Heero smiled gentle against my chest, I could feel it.

"Hai," he whispered, settling against me. It was an hour later, while he thought I was asleep that he said the one thing that I hadn't been willing to hear. "I love you," he whispered softly. My eyes snapped open in fear. I kept my breathing even, not letting him know I was awake and waited for him to fall deeply asleep.

After another hour, Heero was finally deeply asleep. I slipped out from under him and silently got dressed. I then took the time to write a note, speaking it quietly as I did.

"Dear Heero. I'm deeply honored that you would love me. Yet I can't accept it. Not yet. I'm not worthy of your love. Once I can make myself worthy of you, I'll return as your lover. Until then, just remain my friend and help out while you are around.

"I can't ask you to leave a job you love. That would be like you asking me to leave the children. I couldn't do it for you so you shouldn't do it for me. I hope you can understand this Heero. There's a reason why I don't allow you to take me without protection. It's because I don't feel worthy of your pureness. Thus is the same reason I don't take you. You don't need something so tainted in you. When I've finally become worthy of you, then I'll come back to you in all ways. Until then, I'll remain at the Haven. It's safer this way. Do know I love you too. I have since the first day you rescued me. Love, your fallen angel, Duo."

I watched detachedly as two tears fell onto the letter before I could stop them. I then placed the letter on the pillow beside Heero and left silently. The children needed me. Morgana had to be asked an important question. There was lots more I had to do. All of it would keep me from dealing with the millions of pieces my heart had just fallen into. I loved Heero more than my own life and I was letting him go. If he came back, I'd breathe freely once more. If he didn't, my heart would always have an empty spot that no one could fill, no one but my Hee-chan.

Nuriko: :sighs, tears in her eyes: There, it's done.

Duo: :nods: Good. This ones all on me. I pushed you to this ending.

Nuriko: :shakes her head: Not at all, I went along willingly with it. We needed something serious.

Duo: Nothing's more serious than angst, Nuri. I can understand the way you have me thinking, though.

Nuriko: As can I. I only hope Heero and Jess understand as well.

Duo: :hugs her: I'm certain they will, Nuri. At least, I hope so.

Nuriko: Until next chapter, ja mata ne.

Duo: review and let us all know you love Nuri's writing. She needs the support at the moment.


	10. Heero POV

Jess: Damn that Nuri and her damn angst!!

Heero: You did say that you can't make things too easy on us because then you wouldn't have a good story.

Jess: ((grumbles)) I guess… at least that means I can have fun with the Fluff… but now I feel an angst streak coming on! ((pouts)) I'm a sucker for angst fluff and I've always wanted to write a tearjerker but I guess that'll have to wait.

Heero: Are you going to get back at those two idiots of now? For someone "so much like me," you sure have poor organizational skills and lack of focus. We are on a mission!

Jess: Ninmu Ryokai!!! . 

Lunar Symphony

Chapter 10: Heero POV

I woke up slowly, stretching under the sheets as I savored the warmth of my bed and the lazy contentment lingering in my consciousness. Never had I felt this level of coziness and I attributed it to the fact that I had finally let my feelings for Duo be known, even if he was asleep when I said it. I had waited until Duo was in that sleep-waking space and whispered that I loved him. My world was at rest.

I rolled over slightly, intending to wrap my arms around Duo but only found cold sheets. My eyes snapped open and I sat up in bed. All traces of my Duo were gone. I got up to put on some boxers and an undershirt then went to go check the kitchen then the bathroom. When I didn't find him, I went back to my room to get dressed and look for him and I spotted a neatly folded paper on my pillow. This could not be good. Slowly, I reached out for the paper and plucked it off its cushy surroundings. I read it slowly, read it a second time, then my eyes just seemed to stop reading the words and I dropped the note. I turned around and punched the defenseless wall over my headboard. The single punch caused a crater in the otherwise flawless wall and left me feeling empty with only a mild soreness around my knuckles. I did say I had a problem with emotions. I removed my hand from the hole it had made and shook off the little white bits of plaster and chipped paint stuck between my fingers.

Why did Duo leave me? I sat down heavily on the bed then curled up in a little ball under the blankets and shook in anger and hurt. I am not equipped to handle this sort of emotional unrest. Rejection hurt more than I thought it would. Duo doesn't want me. He wants to be friends. I never thought those words would make me hurt as much as they were hurting now. I burrowed further into my mountain of pillows and blankets, unable to escape the cold feeling that was seeping into the general area of my chest. I knew I should get up out of bed and do something constructive. The soldier in me was yelling at me for being such a weakling, but the ache inside wouldn't subside enough to let me function. Besides, I didn't see a point.

I really don't know how much time I actually lay there, but it was obviously long enough for someone to notice.

"Heero!" someone called from outside my door after knocking on it. The knocking continued for a while but I ignored it. It went away eventually and I couldn't help but wonder if this is what depression felt like.

Some time later, the knocking came again, but this time, they let themselves in.

"Heewo?" Mei's voice called from my bedroom door, "Chwis came to get you fow bweakfast but you never came down." I grunted, but didn't move otherwise. "Cassie says lunch is weady. You skipped bweakfast and we'we wowwied. Awe you sick, Heewo?"

I stayed curled under the blankets, "I'm not hungry, Mei. Tell everyone to go ahead and eat without me. If I get hungry, I'll come down and get something myself." It was true enough. I felt queasy at the moment and I didn't have the energy to leave my bed.

"Kay…."

She left my room and left me to my misery. I stayed in bed all day and only got up to use the bathroom. Sometime during my voluntary bed-riddance, I picked up the note again. Why I was subjecting myself to more torture was a mystery. I re-read the scrawled handwriting, the words making my eyes sting.

He said he wasn't worthy of me…. He was rejecting me with an adapted version of the antiquated, "It's not you, it's me," line. How could I NOT feel like a loser?

How could Duo just dismiss me with a simple note on my pillow?

I was about to crumple the thing up and throw it across the room when I noticed something amiss; there were tearstains on the paper… but that was impossible! Duo never cried! He always began chanting his mantra, "boys don't cry" whenever tears threatened to spill, but that didn't change the fact that there were teardrops on the paper.

Did I hurt Duo that badly? Did I hurt him enough to leave me? Enough to cry? I didn't know what I could have possibly done to hurt my Duo. I thought that the talk I had with Trowa and later Mei would help me, but it didn't. I still managed to hurt Duo all the same. I still made him leave me.

Maybe I would have been better if they had never interfered. I would still have Duo if I had not followed their advice. Granted, I might not have a happy Duo… but I'd have him nonetheless.

I dropped the note on the floor and buried my face in the pillow. Maybe I could smother myself and let that be the end of it.

I drifted between my levels of consciousness wallowing in self-pity when someone started pounding at my door. I ignored it and covered my head with my blanket. I really didn't care who it was or why they were at my door, all I cared about was that my Duo was gone. The next thing I knew, I was sitting in my bathtub with the cold shower water hitting my head and soaking me along with my clothes. I blinked and shivered. Through my wet bangs, I saw a tall figure looming over me but I didn't care.

"What is with you, Yuy?" I heard a voice ask me. I grunted. "Snap out of it!" I felt his hands stand me up and shake me, getting his own jeans and t-shirt wet. "What happened to you, Yuy? You haven't been to work in two days!"

"I don't care." I slumped back to lean against the wall while Trowa turned off the shower.

"Well at least you're not catatonic any more. What is going on?" I didn't answer. "You either spill what's going on in that head of yours or I'll make you spill." I still didn't answer and stared at the wall. The next thing I knew, my head snapped back with the force of his fist in my jaw.

I growled at him, but didn't react until he punched me in the stomach. I bent over, clutching my abused abdomen then leaped toward him, sopping wet. We took the fight into the bedroom and rolled around, knocking things over and making a mess.

"Now will you talk to me?" Trowa ground out as he shoved me against the wall, his forearm at my neck, pinning me there.

"This is all your fucking fault!" I screamed as I kicked his legs out from under him.

Trowa fell to his knees, bringing me down with him, "What's my fault?" He rolled me over and pinned me onto the floor with his long limbs, his hands holding my wrists on each side of my face.

"It's all your fault Duo left me!"

Trowa started and got off me then offered his hand to help me up. I took it and was hauled to my feet. "Okay, I'll bite. How is it my fault he left you and why haven't you been eating? You're not at your usual strength today and you're thinner than I remember you."

I grunted and sat at my bed, then bent over to pick the rumpled paper from the floor and held it out to him. "I told him I cared about him… I told him I love him, we had a perfect night, and when I woke up, that's what I found." Trowa took the note and read it while I continued talking. "You and Mei told me that I was hurting Duo by not telling him what I was feeling. You told me that I should show him I care and that I should make sure he knew I wasn't using him. Well I did! And do you know what happened? He left me, he fucking LEFT me!" I was on the verge of another breakdown when Trowa sat next to me and put an arm around my shoulders. I turned to him and let the tears spill, as he rubbed my back."

"And you're letting Duo get away with this?" he whispered.

I looked up and blinked dumbly at him, "What do you mean?"

"Well… it seems to me that this is Duo trying to test how much you care about him. He feels like he's not worthy so he's letting you go. If I'm not mistaken, Duo is waiting to see if you'll go and find someone else, or if you'll go after him anyway. He wants to know if you'll take him the way he is, imperfections and all."

"How do YOU know?" I asked petulantly.

Trowa smirked at me, we've both changed a lot after the war. "Because I did the same things to Quatre," he said.

I was stunned, "Why would you do a thing like that?"

He smiled at me, "Well, it's kind of hard to think you're worth it when the person you love is worth a few hundred billion all on his own… not counting all the rest of the Winner assets he owns and runs. I couldn't think of a reason he'd want to be with a no-name ex-clown nobody like me when he could have anyone or anything on earth or space." He paused and started blushing, much to my surprise, "It turns out that Quatre can be a very stubborn, pig-headed bastard. He didn't give upon me… he even went so far as to track down every circus on earth and space to find the one I was traveling with. When he found me, he forcefully dragged me back to his home and refused to let me go until I agreed never to try that sort of thing again."

I listened intently to Trowa's story. I never even knew that their relationship was anything less than gundanium-solid. To think that maybe Duo and I could have that level of closeness in the future was a very promising thing indeed.

"So I should go after him?" I asked quietly.

"Yes. And fast. I want to finish this mission as soon as I can so I can go back to my Quatre."

"If Duo takes me back, I'm quitting the Preventers, you know."

Trowa nodded, "I figured as much… are you going to go talk to him?"

"Hai." I got up and got a change of clothes since what I was wearing was apparently two days old and headed for the shower. I was currently wet, but not clean. Twenty minutes later, I was dressed in some loose faded jeans and a royal blue t-shirt with the numbers "01" stenciled on the front. I saw Trowa off then put on my shoes and went in search for Duo.

In Maxwell's Haven, I found Duo with the kids watching an old video clip in the main room. At the "G-fan's" request, it was one of the documentaries of the gundam pilots based purely on speculation. I walked up to the group quietly, all of the kids in the house were watching, and nobody noticed my entrance, then grabbed Duo from behind, a hand over his moth to keep him from attracting anyone's attention.

"We have to talk, NOW," I hissed into his ear. Duo nodded, a little shiver going through his body as I released him. We both left the room and I followed him into the room he had fixed up for himself at the Haven, which was on the first floor.

He closed the door as soon as we were both inside and looked up at me, shyly. "Is there anything I can do for you Heero?"

I was angry. I obviously don't take rejection well, and these conflicting emotions were tearing me apart. I threw the crumpled note at Duo and glared at him.

Duo caught the note then looked at it, recognizing his handwriting, "Oh…" He sighed, "I was wondering if I'd ever see you again…I… I was afraid you'd left. I kept sending kids to call you down for food, but you never answered the door or the phone. Mei even told me that you changed the pass-card code so she's been staying with us."

When had I changed it? I really didn't remember. "I want to know why the hell you left that on my bed," I ground out, glaring intently at the offending paper in his hands.

"Well… I thought I was being very clear as to why…" Duo trailed off.

I stomped my way to where he stood, backing him up into a corner, "Do not toy with my emotions, Duo Maxwell. I do not take it well." I placed my hands on each side of his head, my feet planted at shoulder length so that he couldn't escape. "Tell me right now… I want the whole truth. Not half-truths, not non-lies, not evasive answers." He nodded, looking a little frightened as I growled at him, "Tell me to my face Duo, do you want me to leave L2?"

Duo shook his head 'no' staring at me with wide eyes.

"Was this a joke on your part to see what I would do?"

"N-no, Hee-chan! I wouldn't do that to you!" I couldn't help but notice Duo's voice was cracking.

"Then why, damn it? What was the point in hurting me the way you did?" I felt something warm slide down my face, but I ignored it. "What was it that I did so wrong that you had to leave me?!" I pounded my fist against the smooth wall and created a matching wall-accent to the one above my headboard. I was shaking in anger, confusion, and hurt, trying to sort out what was happening between us.

Duo shrunk into his corner, his voice soft and vulnerable, "I thought that you were only with me out of pity… I thought that maybe, you didn't really want me the way I was, so I gave you an easy way out…"

The brokenness in his voice knocked all the steam out of me in an instant. I reached out, a twinge of hurt in my heart when he flinched as though I was going to punch him. "Duo…" I breathed, taking his thin form into my arms and holding him close.

Duo's arms came around me and hugged me back. Both of us were shaking and neither was willing to let the other go. "Trowa was right… I'll have to thank him after all…." I whispered to myself.

"Hm?"

"Nothing Koi." I hugged Duo closer to me, kissing his lips fully, making him moan in my mouth. We pulled apart, our faces merely inches from each other, both of us breathing heavily. "Duo…" I whispered.

"Hai?"

"I am a very jealous boyfriend. No one is allowed to hold you like this but me… and if I ever find you streetwalking again, I can guarantee you won't be happy with me."

Duo laughed a little at that. "Don't worry, koi… you've ruined me for that line of work, besides, I got kids to raise now."

"Good. See that it stays that way. Oh, and one more thing… If you ever get the bright idea to try and pull a stunt like this again, try telling me straight out, or cut the bullshit and shoot me…again." I grinned at the end, letting Duo know I was talking about our meeting and trying to lighten the mood.

Duo laughed at that and gave me another soul-searing kiss.

Jess: Another chapter and another round of hot potato.

Duo: You two just love messing with our love lives… we should do the same to you!

Heero: Duo.. They're not together, so how could we?

Duo: Well, that's what fics are for! We make stuff up and put them in the situations WE think up… besides… if they can make us dress like, or actually BE women… I'm sure we can do a gender change on one of them….

Heero: You know it's Nuriko's turn to write, don't you? She's the one that's all vicious with us. At least Jess gives us fluff.

Nuriko: I heard that, you little ingrates!

Duo and Heero: ((at each other)) see what you did?!?!

Jess: Until the next exciting chapter of Lunar Symphony, Ja mata ne!

Nuriko: Hey! That's MY line!

Jess: Bye!! . 


	11. Duo POV

Lunar Symphony

Nuriko: :smirks darkly, furiously working on her next chapter:

Heero: :just a little worried by that look: How long has she been at it?

Duo: Since reading Jess's last chapter.

Jess: I think we're all in trouble.

Duo/Heero: :nod in agreement:

Nuriko: :laughs wickedly suddenly, causing all three to swallow:

Jess: Let's get this over with. Duo, introduce it.

Duo: :worry in his eyes: Um. . .onto chapter eleven.

Chapter Eleven:

For two days I had done nothing but worry. Heero had just disappeared. His pass codes had been changed and Mei didn't even know if he was still around. I didn't feel up to being cheerful, but the children didn't deserve a grumpy caregiver. Then the impossible happened. Heero came back! With a vengeance he came back into my life and refused to leave.

That was fine by me, seeing as I refused to let him go a second time. Once had been murder enough. He'd have to pry me off with a crowbar if he wanted me to leave now. Every night I slipped into his room, sharing the most exquisite lovemaking ever known. We'd never go to sleep without at least saying 'I love you' once. I was still adamant on his using a condom and only I was taken. This way, I could slowly work things out on my own.

After a steady week like this, with him working with Trowa during the day and being with me at night, things were fairly set. Yet no words of commitment came from him and I was reluctant to ask myself. For as much as I loved being male, I was very much female around Heero. The first time he brought me home roses I had to run to the bathroom to hide my crying fit.

Heero was always considerate and with my help had become fairly comfortable with his emotions. Oh, he wasn't perfect with them, not by a long shot, but he was very sweet when he was alone with me. It was because of all of this I wanted to give him something special for our one-month anniversary. Only one week to get the perfect gift and with Gabe and Lucian helping me I'd have no problems.

Every evening I'd disappear for two hours. Lucian had been told to tell Heero that I was busy. Knowing I was reluctant to normally work, Heero wouldn't bother me. Little did he know that when it came to the children I was more than ahead on all necessary paperwork. Once done it'd then be time to slip into Heero's room. We didn't talk much, but we didn't need to.

I smiled as once again Lucian got Heero to back off. I then slipped out the window to my last session. The main part of my gift was finished and all that was left was a personal touch. What was this gift that took fourteen hours to make, you ask? I'll tell ya.

I made a video scrapbook of the two of us. The kids had been more than willing to help. Unaware of their actions, they had been taking pictures of the two of us. Those had been added just last night. That wasn't all, though. I had also added many scenes from our time together as pilots that I had thought showed my love for him.

The final touch was what I had playing over the many scenes. The old song 'Everything I do, I do it for you' played over it, but it wasn't being sung by the original singer, someone named Bryan Adams. Instead, myself sang it.

I always knew I had a nice voice. Just speaking brought many an apprising glance. What many didn't know was that I had a very stunning tenor voice when I sang. So I allowed the song to play with my heart in my voice. As the instrumental part played in the middle I spoke words from another Bryan Adams song that fit us.

"If you're feeling lonely, don't. You're the only one I'll ever want. I only want to make it grow. So if I love ya a little more than I can show, please forgive me, I know not what I do. Please forgive me I can't stop loving you. Don't deny me, this pain I'm going through. Please forgive me if I need you like I do. Oh, believe me for what I say is true. Please forgive me I can't stop loving you."

I finished the recording just as the scenes ended. It was finished, right on time too. It'd be ready to give to him tomorrow. He had a late day tomorrow with his Preventer's work, so morning was all mine. I had lots of plans for us and he would suffer through all of them. I went back home and slipped into my window. I was just closing it when a strong arm wrapped around me. Instantly I knew who it was.

"Heero!" I exclaimed. His iron band of an arm tightened around me. I could tell he was upset and it wasn't good.

"Duo," he said quietly. "Perhaps you'd like to answer something for me?" I swallowed deeply, my eyes wide. I felt his hand wrap around my braid as I was turned to face him. The pull on my hair made my eyes well up with tears against my will. He really needed to control his strength. I'd have a bruise on my waist come morning I knew it.

"Sure, Heero." I swallowed once again. "What do you want to know?" He really was in no mood for nicknames. He was extremely pissed off.

"Why have you had Lucian telling me you're busy while you've obviously been anything but?"

"I have been busy, Heero. Just wait till morning and I promise you'll see what I've been up to. Please Heero. Trust me." My voice broke at the tail end and I knew all my worries and insecurities were at the front. What if he always looked at my past? What if he always thought I was doing something else? I couldn't remain in a situation like that. I'm still too much of a wreck at the moment.

"You'll have till morning. Yet I believe until then we should have separate rooms," he rumbled. His hands splayed my hips, but his expression remained serious. I then felt his hold gentle and he kissed me softly. "Sorry," he whispered. I smiled sweetly and held him close, snuggling against him.

"All will be revealed in the morning. There's nothing bad going on. I promise you." I kissed him then, a deep soul searching kiss. I then backed away. "I have to behave or I won't be able to stay away tonight." I then smiled brightly.

"What are you so happy about?"

"The adoption for Morgana, Lucian, and Gabriel were finalized today. They are all officially my kids!" Heero's eyes widened.

"I knew about Morgan, but why Lucian and Gabriel? They are almost as old as you are." I smirked, walking over to my desk. It was a simple design for my office. I had two black leather chairs in front of the desk. My desk was oak, stained a dark gray. A computer sat to the left side of it. A rather plush black leather chair sat behind the desk for me to sit in when I needed to. There were also two bookshelves on either side with the window behind my desk and the door in front of it.

"Gabe and Lucian are too old to ever be adopted. So, seeing as they love this place and agreed to listen to me as a father figure, I agreed to make them mine as well. I quite possibly would have made Luc and Kali mine as well, but Une said three was enough red tape to pull for me at the current moment."

"Why Luc and Kali? They aren't too old." I smiled at my Hee-chan. He was so much the innocent some times. I leaned a hip against the desk as I looked at him. He was impressive in a hunter green pair of jeans and forest green top. Greens and blues always complimented his hair and eyes.

"Heero, sometimes you're too good for me," I said. He walked over to me and took my hand, threading our fingers together.

"Answer."

"Because of their differences. Kali for the eye patch and Luc for his leg. People don't want damaged or old things. Just like buying fruit. You don't want them old or damaged."

"But these are people, not fruit," he growled, squeezing my hand. I smiled and brought his hand to my lips, kissing it lightly.

"You know that and I know that, but not everyone else knows it." I then smirked. "Yet if I haven't missed my guess, Kali will be adopted by Une once she shows up tomorrow. She's all ready in love with her secretarial skills. She'll love her the rest of the way once she meets her." Heero smirked then.

"Let's hope so. Kali and Une would get along great together." I laughed, hugging him then.

"I think so as well." I then looked him in the eye. "How about Mei? Gonna adopt her?" He pulled an envelope from his back pocket.

"I'll ask her about it tomorrow." I know I shouldn't have felt hurt by that. Mei was deserving of this, but it still hurt that he had plans on our anniversary.

"Cool. She loves you, Hee-chan. She'll agree. Count on it." He nodded. I then kissed him and pushed him toward the door. "Get some sleep. I've got some paper work to handle and my own bed to go to." He turned and kissed me once more.

"Love you," he whispered against my lips. I smiled and kissed him once again.

"I love you too, Hee-chan. Sleep tight," I whispered back. He smiled and kissed me once more before leaving the office. I then got to work on the morning's surprise.

Morning came early to shine it's dim light onto the scene Quatre, Trowa and I had set up to greet Heero's sight. A letter sat beside the bed against a covered tray of his favorite breakfast. The letter said but two words, 'Eat me'. Another note rested on the new TV and video player we had gotten specifically so Heero could watch my gift. This note said 'Play me' so he would know to watch it.

The last note was on a suit of dark navy blue. It rested on the single chair near his closet. This one read 'Wear me at noon and be downstairs for the rest of your gift. Your love for the last month (although really longer), Duo.' I had planned everything carefully.

Twelve thirty lunch at Heero's favorite restaurant and then dancing at my favorite club. True it wasn't much, but it was the best I could do. I only hoped Heero loved it too. Of course, this evening, after work, was dinner at a fancy restaurant that I had bought out for the night. It only cost me a hundred dollars because the owner was a Gundam fanatic and I had promised him details on Deathscythe if he helped. Quatre and Trowa would serenade us and then hopefully it'd end with Heero forgiving me and us spending the rest of the evening together. It was all a game of sit and wait until then.

Nuriko: Done.

Jess/Heero/Duo: That's it?!

Nuriko: Yep. Had ya all worried, huh?

Duo: Terrified.

Heero: Nervous.

Jess: Scared as all Hell.

Nuriko: Good. Until next chapter, ja mata ne!

J/D/H: NURIKO!!!


	12. Heero POV

Jess: Silly Heero, here you thought that Nuriko was going to be cruel to you and all she did was set the stage for fluff.

Heero: Hn.

Nuri: You people always think the worst of me. ((pouts))

Duo: Well, we wouldn't if you hadn't shown us your evil side so many times….

Nuri: Hmph!

Jess: On with the chapter!!

Lunar Symphony

Chapter 12: Heero POV

I awoke early as usual this morning. I know Duo was keeping something from me and I hated not knowing what it was. Last night, I had caught him sneaking into his office when I had been told that he was supposed to be working. I didn't like the implications, but I didn't want to jump to conclusions, that is why I agreed to give him until this morning to tell me what he was up to.

I stretched in bed, not liking the feel of it being empty and hugged a pillow to my body. I cracked open an eye and spotted a bowl of assorted fresh berries and a pitcher of water on a tray on the bedside table. I rubbed my eyes and spotted the note that was propped up against the bowl that read, "Eat Me" in Duo's handwriting. When had he come in? I thought I told him to stay in his own room tonight.

I reached over and plucked a boysenberry from the top of the pile and popped it into my mouth, sucking the thing slowly. I loved berries for breakfast. I loved berries, period. I looked at the tray again and found a neatly sliced prickly pear fanned out on a separate plate. Where had Duo gotten a hold of that in SPACE? I'd have to ask him about it later.

Speaking of talking to Duo… I need to find out what he was doing all week. I don't like being kept in the dark. I got out of bed and put on my wartime favorite: black spandex shorts and a green tank top and my old, ratty, sneakers. I'd be working out today before breakfast, and this particular get-up was the most comfortable.

I put the fruit bowl in the mini refrigerator I had in my kitchenette and figured I'd eat when I finished with my workout. First things first, though… what has Duo been up to?

I jogged downstairs bypassing the TV/Vid-disk player sitting in front of my bed and went across the grounds to Maxwell's Haven. He just better have a good excuse.

"Hee-chan!" Duo exclaimed as I walked into the cafeteria that morning. He came up to me and hugged me tight, kissing me soundly before I could even react. I wrapped my arms around his thin body, his braid held possessively in my grip.

"Duo… you said you needed until this morning to explain yourself. Start talking."

Duo's eyes lost some of their spark as he looked up into my impassive face. "Didn't you get your present?" He asked, his voice breaking slightly.

I shook my head. "Present? What for? I put breakfast in the fridge to eat after my workout and as for the TV/Vid-disk player, I appreciate the gesture."

Duo looked positively deflated but tried to save face in front of the kids that were now looking our direction. "Oh…" he choked out. Was I missing something? "I guess you can look after your workout then…"

"I don't have time to watch television, Duo."

I watched as he gave me a watery smile then turned around and walked towards his office. What was that all about? He knows I don't watch television so the thought of his getting me a television was rather absurd. Still… I felt like I was missing something important. I grabbed his arm at the last second, and spun him towards me, holding him tight. I leaned in and brushed my lips gently against his; whispering "Love you, Koi," before letting him go. He looked shell-shocked as he rushed out of the cafeteria…. He never even said he loved me back. Something was definitely off here but I needed to gain some control first… I don't want to accidentally hurt him when I try to talk to him next. Honestly, that's the biggest reason why I didn't run after him.

With the kids giving me little pouts, I turned around and left the building, and went to the Preventer's gym. Exercise always helped me when I had some emotional stress to work off. Call it my outlet, if you will. When I arrived, I found Trowa already there, water bottle in hand and a towel resting on his knee as he sat on a bench.

"Trowa," I said. He looked up at me and gave a little nod.

We then began what had become our morning workout routine. It wasn't until my third set of bench presses that I initiated a conversation.

"Ne, Trowa?"

"Hai?"

"Do you know what Duo has been up to lately?" I asked.

He quirked an eyebrow, "Are you asking me for information, or was that supposed to be rhetorical?"

"Duo is the one who asks rhetorical questions."

"In that case, I might have an idea." he replied

"Oh? Mind cluing me in?"

He looked at me oddly as we swapped places again, "I thought you'd have figured it out by now."

"What do you mean?" I asked, playing spotter.

"Well," Trowa began, "I figured you for a smart man, Yuy, I would have thought that the present he made you would have told you all you needed to know."

"Present?"

"Oh for the love of-" he sighed, exasperated. He put up the weight he was lifting, hooking it onto it's resting bar, then sat up and looked at me sternly. "Heero, I'm your friend and as such, I'm expecting you to NOT shoot me when I tell you that you are the most hard-headed individual I've ever met! And yes, Yuy, that includes Wufei and myself." I blinked, taken aback by his outburst. He sighed gain and wiped his face with the towel nearby, "Have you spoken to Duo this morning?"

I wasn't expecting that question, but I nodded in the affirmative. "Is it safe to assume that you didn't look at the gift he made you?" Another nod, "and so I'm assuming that things didn't go too well this morning…"

"I don't know what everyone is going on about, Barton. Will someone just PLEASE give this to me straight?!" I practically yelled. I hate subtleties. If you want me to know something, just come out and say it. I thought that my friends would have figured that out by now.

Trowa looked at me, dropped the towel, nodded, and grabbed my wrist. I was practically manhandled into my bathroom and ordered to shower. He then closed the door behind himself and I was left alone to my thoughts once again.

Okay, Yuy, backtrack…. What has been going on lately?

I turned on the shower and stripped down. One: Duo has been missing for hours at a time for the past week. I stepped into the shower and let the warm water cascade off my skin. Two: what was with the expressions he's been giving me lately? First when I talked about adopting Mei and then when I came downstairs… I'm definitely missing something. I wash my hair and skin with my favorite cinnamon apple shampoo and body wash. Three: Trowa seems to know something that should have been obvious to me, judging by his reactions. I rinsed and reached for the towel hanging nearby. I dried off and wrapped the towel around my waist before stepping out of the bathroom.

When I came out, I found Trowa arranging a little folding table at the foot of my bed with the bowl of berries, plate of prickly pears and a pitcher of what I call lemonade (mostly water, about three lemons per liter, and four artificial sweeteners)…actually, it was hardly any better than water by Duo's standards, but I liked the hint of flavor it had. On the bed lay an outfit I'd never seen before with a note resting just on top of the carefully laid cloth of the navy blue suit. Against the wall, facing the foot of my bed was the TV/Vid-disk player I had seen before, but this time, I noticed a note on it that said, "Watch me" taped to the screen. Interesting.

Trowa led me to the foot of my bed and sat me down so I faced my breakfast and the TV. "You are going to sit here and watch the vid, then you're going to get dressed and get on with your day, understood?"

I nodded.

"Good. By the way," he added, "Quatre and I are going to adopt Luc… if Duo lets us. I like him and Quatre has always wanted a family of his own."

I smiled at him and nodded, "He needs a good family… and with your gymnast skills, you can really teach him how to work his upper-body muscles. In fact, Mei would probably be better off going with you and Quatre too… I was going to ask her if she wanted me as her adoptive parent… but… I think I'm getting cold feet about it." I looked around myself, "As you can see, I'm not very good at picking up on the obvious…."

Trowa smiled at me and gave me a pat on the back. "Watch the movie, Heero… we'll talk about this later."

I nodded and watched him leave.

(Time lapse)

I turned off the television and stared blankly at the screen. How I could possibly doubt Duo was a mystery. His present to me was… priceless. I finished my breakfast and went to my laptop to finish some paperwork, still dressed in only my towel. I'd be getting dressed to go out soon and I didn't want to get dirty or wrinkle my clothes before leaving so I waited until the last possible moment to get ready.

I was really lucky to have Duo as my boyfriend. I loved him more than anything in the world… it's just that I have trouble reining in my emotions and such. I began to walk down the stairs to where Duo had indicated, but since I was a bit early, I thought of a plan to try and apologize to him. I walked quickly to a little flower shop a few blocks down the street; I hoped I wouldn't be late.

I got to the store and made my order and paid the lady at the cash register.

She smiled at me, "Special occasion, son?"

I nodded, "Anniversary…I had forgotten all about it…."

She frowned a bit, "Well, at least this will help when you're trying to get her to forgive you."

I blushed a little, "uh… yeah… I hope he won't be too angry at me…"

I saw her flush at her assumption, but she just smiled and handed me my order, "Of course… good luck, sweetie."

I walked briskly to my destination, the chat with the flower lady had taken me off schedule, but I couldn't help but smile. The box of two-dozen mixed white and red roses lying in a bed of ferns and baby's breath was sure to get me on Duo's good side. 'I'm really sorry I hurt you, koi… I hope you'll forgive me.'

Jess: Short chappie, I know… but it ended sweet, ne?

Duo: ((blushes)) Hee-chan got me flowers?

Heero: Roses. Twelve white, twelve red.

Nuri: Aww… how sweet…

Jess: ((tries to hide from Nuriko))

Nuri: I see you! Don't think I can't see through your plot to make ME write out their date!!

Jess: ((looking innocent)) Umm… gotta go! ((runs away))


	13. Duo POV

Lunar Symphony:

Nuriko:grumbles under her breath:

Duo:gives her a gentle hug: Aww, come on Nuri. You've never had a problem writing fluff before.

Nuriko: I know that, Duo. I just never enjoyed being very fluffy.

Duo: Come on. Show them you can keep up with Jess in the sweetness and love category. Toss in a little angst and you'll have a winning chapter.

Nuriko:sighs: I'll try Duo. It's the best I can do.

Duo:grins: In Nuri-language, that means she'll succeed with flying colors.

Heero:eyebrow raised: How in the world do you know that?

Duo:smirks: Just like I know your 'Hn' translations. I listen and learn.

Heero: Hn.

Duo: Yeah, I know I am, but I'm your baka.

Heero:eyes wide: How?

Duo: Told you, I listen and learn.

Nuriko: Knock it off you two. Let me get to work.

Duo: Hai:he then got dragged off by Heero:

Nuriko:rolls eyes: Boys! Can't live with 'em and ya can't live without 'em. Now, on to chapter thirteen.

Chapter Thirteen:

He was an idiot! It was the only thing I could think to call him. I know he always called me a baka but he was more of one that I was. Heero hadn't even taken a look at my present. Some anniversary this was turning out to be.

"Duo, I'm sorry it didn't work," Morgana said softly, placing her arms around my shoulders. I smiled softly and wrapped her up in my arms, holding her close.

"Don't be, Morgan. Heero's stubborn that way. I'm certain he'll get around to it eventually."

"Actually, Duo, he's watching it now," a quiet voice spoke up. I looked up to see Une and Trowa.

"Yuy's still dense when it comes to people, I see," Une said with a smile. I stood and hugged her tightly.

"How are you, Une?" I asked, stepping back from the head of the Preventer's Organization.

"Pretty good, Duo. I thought I'd see how things are shaping up here. I know you didn't want to become a Preventer, so I got you on the payroll another way. The building looks great." I smirked and shrugged.

"The third floor is set up for staff and the older children. The second floor is for the rest of the children. Each room holds six children comfortably. The main floor has the kitchen, dining hall, entertainment room, offices, and play room. There is also one bedroom off of the kitchen with it's own bathroom for our live in cook, once we hire one."

"You've done beautifully, Duo. I'm amazed by all the work you've accomplished in such a short amount of time."

"The children helped," I answered honestly.

"Duo, there are child labor laws," Une said in surprise. Trowa and I laughed.

"They helped make their home livable faster. They were living on the streets, Une. In a hell hole far worse than you could ever imagine. Doing a little work to have a dry, warm, and clean place to stay is anything but child labor." Trowa grinned.

"He's got a point, Une. Besides, the two who helped Duo and Heero get Preventer HQ up and running are sixteen years old and only worked for as long as they wanted. They also are Duo's kids now, so had guardian consent."

"We all wanted to help, Miss Une," Kali said from the doorway, causing Une to turn and smile at the young girl.

"Of course, Kali. Forgive me for implying anything else." Kali nodded and rushed over to Une, giving her a hug, even though her small arms only fit partway around Une's hips.

"Duo, she wants to adopt me. Isn't that great?" I grinned. I knew Une and Kali would be a perfect match.

"Also, Quatre and I talked and we'd like to adopt Luc. As long as you approve, of course." I blinked in surprise at his words.

"I have no objections. I'm certain Luc won't either, seeing as he looks up to you as much as he does Heero. Only I can't okay the decision. That's up to the L2 government," I told them. Une smirked and then handed me a set of paperwork.

"Actually, you decide for every child that comes into this building and under your care. The L2 government agreed to give you full power. Apparently, with all the mess they're in at the moment, they can't deal with family-less children. By the way, thanks for the proof to go with those corrupt politicians." I waved off her words.

"No problem. L2 has needed this for a very long time." I grinned while Une and Trowa smiled in return. Just then Une got paged and looked at me.

"May I use your phone?"

"Certainly." I waved her toward my phone and stepped out of the office with Kali, Trowa, and Morgana. I smiled down at her. "Would you help Kali get ready to leave? This way she can leave when Une's ready.

"All right, dad. Come on Kali. Let's get ready."

"Okay," Kali said softly. Together they rushed off upstairs. I smiled softly at the sight.

"She loves you very much," Trowa observed. I nodded.

"She's been with me from the second week I returned here on. We've had plenty of time to learn to love one another, faults and all." Trowa nodded. He then placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Heero loves you too, Duo. He's just not very understanding of his new emotions. He's lived so long without them that living with them is difficult." I looked at him, my expression serious.

"I know all of this Trowa. I really do. I'm just a mess emotionally myself. I allow everything to hit me just a little too close to home."

"I could have told you that, Maxwell," a deep voice remarked from behind me. Only one person ever called me 'Maxwell' like that. Turning around on my heel, I saw Wufei leaning on Quatre, being led into the Haven. Wufei was bandaged from ear to ear around his forehead and one was around his right arm, holding it in place against him.

"Wuffles! Q-bean! What brings you two here?" I asked, both surprised and delighted to see them.

"I had told Wufei about Trowa and I wanting to adopt one of your kids and he had to talk to you about something serious," Quatre told me.

My name is Wufei, Maxwell. Please use it." He sounded tired and in pain so I dropped all pretense of wanting to tease him.

"Sorry. What happened and what would you like to talk about?"

"It was a sneak attack on L3. Unfortunately, we didn't have your knowledge there as we do here." I moved over to them and took Wufei from Quatre. Wufei looked at me in surprise. "You've been working out, Maxwell. You feel more filled out than last time we met." I couldn't help but smile.

"My last line of work required me to be in top form." Wufei sighed, leaning heavily against me. He really must be hurting to require my help. "What did you want to talk to me about?" I asked, leading him to sit down at a small couch. Once he was settled I glanced toward Quatre, who was getting a hug and kiss from Trowa.

"L3 has ten orphans with no place to go. The government refuses to acknowledge the problem. Are you willing to take them in?" I had to laugh softly.

"I'd be very upset if you didn't all ready know what my answer would be and didn't have them on their way." Quatre giggled.

"Told you, Wufei," Quatre said.

"So you did. They'll be here day after tomorrow, Maxwell." I grinned.

"Seems you all know me too well, you guys." Trowa smiled while Quatre nodded and Wufei sighed.

"You're a child magnet, Maxwell. Of course you'd want to take care of these kids." I was ready to remark with my favorite nickname for him when Une walked into the room, her expression serious.

"What's wrong Une?" Quatre asked.

"I'm afraid I have to send Wufei back out. He's the only stealth agent I have who knows the area in need of infiltration." Wufei slowly moved to stand.

All right, Une. I'll leave as soon as the room stops spinning." He suddenly fell foreword and Trowa and I moved swiftly to catch him.

"Where does he need to go?" I asked of Une. Une's eyes were concerned while they flicked over Wufei, who had been sat back down.

"The old Miller Warehouse in downtown L2 X517332 colony." I smirked.

"Standard demolition sneak or is it a bug and run?" Quatre blinked.

"Duo, it's your anniversary. You aren't even a Preventer. You don't need to risk yourself," Quatre said quickly. I rolled my eyes. I then handed Quatre his gun and Une her badge. They were stunned.

"I'm still the best at stealth. Wufei's hurt, so hurt he can't do this. I can get in and out of there quickly. I know the place forewords and backwards. I'll be back within a couple of hours."

"What about your lunch with Heero?" Trowa asked. I felt saddened by thoughts of Heero but shook it off.

"Just tell him I moved up our date and to meet me at Little Rosie's at eight." Trowa, realizing I wouldn't change my mind, turned to Quatre.

"Be his back up, love," Trowa said softly. Quatre nodded.

"What do I need to do?" I asked Une. A bug and run. We want hard evidence on these guys." I smirked, winking.

"Seems this is one job I'll love. Come on Q-bean, let's get this done quickly."

"Got you, Duo." We left swiftly, knowing the quicker we got this done, the faster we'd be home.

Seven hours later I was utterly exhausted. If I had known how much Une had required of me, I might have never volunteered. No, that wasn't true. Wufei had been injured too badly to handle it himself. Luckily I had talked Une into giving him some time to recover. I walked into my room and pulled off the black turtleneck I had chosen to wear. I tossed it on the bed and stared at myself in the mirror.

"You've fallen out of touch, Duo. You should have been done within two hours, not seven," I muttered to myself.

"I thought you didn't want to be a Preventer, Duo," Heero's rich voice spoke up from behind me.

"Hee-chan, what brings you here?" I asked, my voice tired. He stood away from the wall he had been leaning on and moved up behind me, one arm moving around my waist while his other rested over my shoulder. Two dozen of the most beautiful roses were placed right in front of me. Yet as I looked at them, I realized there were twenty-five roses, twelve white, twelve red, and one yellow. I smiled a watery smile at him.

"Did I do something wrong?" Heero asked, not bothering to answer a question that had answered itself.

"No, you didn't, Heero. You did everything right." I glanced up into the mirror, my eyes locking with his. "Do you know what the different colors for roses mean?" Heero appeared confused.

"The colors mean something?" he asked. I laughed softly and turned in his arms. I then held up one of each rose.

"White," I began, holding up the white one. "It stands for innocence, purity, and new beginnings." I then held up the red one. "Red stands for passion, love, and the spirit of romance." I couldn't help but kiss the tip of his nose after that. "Finally, there's yellow. This one means forgiveness and sorry. I'm assuming the florist knew you were getting them to apologize."

"I am sorry. I didn't realize it was our anniversary or that you had been making a gift for me the last week. Forgive me." I grinned and wrapped my arms around his waist, placing the roses on the dresser.

"It's all right, Hee-chan. We both messed up this time. I love you. I want to spend all of my life with you. We're bound to make mistakes. That's what happens in all relationships. If they didn't, then we wouldn't care very much about each other." Heero smiled and gave me the sweetest, softest, and most loving kiss of our relationship.

"Go shower," he mumbled, pushing me away. "You smell." I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing.

"Gee, thanks Hee-chan. You work seven hours straight sneaking around buildings and avoiding bad guys and see what you smell like."

"Hn," he answered. I giggled.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm going. Be ready in half an hour." As I headed into the bathroom I caught his mumbled reply.

"Hoe do you do that?" I smirked. It had taken me a year to understand his 'hn's' but I eventually learned all I needed to know about his one word replies. Now, I could translate all of them, much to Heero's surprise. Without answering, I closed the door to the bathroom and got to work cleaning up for our date.

The meal had been flawless, the music romantic, and the company was perfect. I loved Heero so much and I was finally willing to leave my past behind me. The children had taught me one thing the past is the past. It defines who you become, not what you are. It had taken a lot to realize that, but now that I knew it, I was going to attempt to move my relationship with Heero to the next level. I only hoped I had the courage to do it on the way home.

Nuriko: You're turn Jess.

Jess:glares: NO! You left me with more fluff. Damn you!

Nuriko:smirks: See what happens when you try to nail me with things I wanted you to do?

Duo:smirks as well: See, Nuri-chan is wise. She had ideas long before now. You just fell into her trap.

Nuriko: Not a trap, Duo, just my plans for this story.

Heero/Jess: Hn.

Duo/Nuriko: Understood. Until next chapter, ja!

Heero/Jess: How do they do that?

Duo/Nuriko: The world may never know.


	14. Heero POV

Jess: Nuriko, do I gotta?

Nuriko: Yes, you gotta.

Jess: But-

Nurkio: I'm not listening!

Heero: What are those to going on about?

Duo: Nuri left it so that Jess has to write another Lemon scene. (or in the case of FFN, Lime).

Heero: Really? ((looks interested))

Duo: Yep. Nuri says that since she already has two, Jess has to have at least two as well and apparently, she doesn't like making you bottom.

Heero: I get to be Uke?

Duo: ((snickers)) that's right, Hee-chan.

Heero: And if I refuse?

Duo: Then Nuriko will just have to torture you in the next chapter.

Heero/ Jess (ending her conversation with Nuri): HN!

Duo/Nuriko: We KNOW!

Nuriko: Hop to it woman!

Jess: … kay… onto chapter fourteen.

Lunar Symphony

Chapter Fourteen: Heero POV

We walked back to Headquarters after dinner. The night had gone perfectly for our anniversary and I was glad that I didn't mess things up for us. All day, I had been thinking about Duo and what he meant to me. The video really did a lot to help, but the last straw came when Duo left on that mission meant for WuFei.

At first, I wasn't all that worried because I trusted his skills, but when the hours kept coming and no Duo came with them, I became very worried. The mission shouldn't have taken as long as it did. I realized that I had taken his skills for granted and that he was no longer a soldier. Duo was now a civilian with no Preventer training. The baka could have been killed and I never had a chance to tell him how I felt.

I know I'm not the best at following my intuition or my heart. I follow facts and what I can see in front of me, but Duo was messing with my ordered world. In fact, he scrambled everything the minute I laid eyes on him and things have only become more blurred since I entered this world of his filled with kids and compromise.

While he was away, I asked Mei if she'd consider being mine. I needed a new mission to keep me with Duo. I suppose my mind could not just accept that I loved Duo. I DO love Duo, but that wasn't enough reason for me to stay. I told him I was going to quit the Preventers and I already had my letter of resignation in Lady Une's hands, now I just needed to give myself a reason.

Mei was going to be my mission. When she accepted being my daughter, I accepted being her guardian. My new mission was now to protect, provide, and care for my daughter, and that meant staying alive long enough to give her those things. Mission complete; I would no longer engage in dangerous missions so that I would be able to provide for my dependant.

My next mission was to keep myself tied to Maxwell's haven. I love Duo very much, but I need to have a reason to stay there. No matter what, my training is too deeply ingrained so that I have to have a reason to do something; to stay with my Duo.

With Duo being gone now for four hours, I began to panic, so I did what I do best: plan for my mission. I made a checklist of all the things that I would need and then I went about gathering them. The kids were looking at me oddly as I began to obsess over the list I had made myself but would allow no one to see.

I went out to make a couple of purchases, returned them to my apartment, then went over the Haven to wait for my Duo.

Now that we walked back home from our date, I couldn't help but smile. Duo even got Quatre and Trowa to serenade us while we had desert. The entire evening was magical… I just needed to work up the courage to carry out my mission.

Ironic that I've pushed the self-destruct button without flinching, but when it comes to matters of the heart- matters of Duo- I find myself groping for a foothold. Duo really does wonders in breaking down my barriers, but I wish he could figure out a way to kill the last of my training.

We arrived in my bedroom after practically running up the stairs while groping at each other. When we arrived in my apartment, I quickly locked and secured my place, then it was a mad dash for the bedroom.

We each stripped quickly on our way to the bedroom, and once we were both there, the door was slammed shut and I was pushed onto the bed rather roughly. Not an instant later, Duo was on me, kissing me and petting me, and reducing my body to a quivering mass of hormones.

"Hee-chan," he whispered into my ear as he nipped at my earlobe, " I'm ready to love you back… if you'll let me…"

My eyes snapped open at that. Duo was finally ready to be with me completely? I could hardly believe it, and at that moment, I decided that once our hormones were sated, I'd go through with my plans.

I realized that Duo had stopped moving and was looking at me intently, as if waiting for me to reject him. I wouldn't let that happen again, so I pulled him down and kissed him deeply. "Of course I'll let you, baka… I… I love you."

That got me a brilliant smile and the most charged kiss I'd ever received.

((Edited for FFN))

In the darkness, I could make out Duo's Cheshire cat grin as he pulled back and locked me into his embrace.

I reached out onto my bedside table and pulled out a little box. By now, Duo's eyes had drifted closed with a whispered 'I love you' falling from his lips. I opened the box I held and pulled out the simple platinum band that lay inside. Quietly, I slipped the band onto his finger, mentally whispering the words I had engraved inside the band _Marry me, Koi._

"Love you too, Duo…" I whispered back as I let myself get comfortable in the secure ring of his arms. I was pretty sure he was asleep my now… it had been an eventful day and night and I was sure my koi needed the rest.

Jess: ((throws fic back at Nuriko)) Catch!

Nuriko: ((catches it))((blink blink))

Duo/Heero: … where did THAT come from?

Jess: ((blushes slightly)) You don't know me! Don't you judge me!

Heero: I can't say I didn't like it….

Duo: … well…. It WAS fun….

Jess: Kay, hope you enjoyed! I need to get out of here before any of these three come to their senses! Ja ne! ((runs and hides))


	15. Duo POV

Lunar Symphony

Nuriko:grins wickedly as Jess runs and hides:

Duo: What's that for?

Nuriko: Jess thinks we'll be upset with her. I'm nowhere near upset. I also think we found out Heero enjoys being domineered.

Heero: Hn.

Nuriko:shakes head: No, Heero, there isn't anything wrong with it.

Heero:raises one eyebrow: If I ask, you aren't gonna tell me how you understand, huh?

Duo/Nuriko: Nope.

Duo: It's our special ability. If we tell, everyone would do it.

Nuriko: Also, readers have to read to see what happens. I can't just tell you.

Heero: Fine, on to chapter fifteen. :walks off to find Jess:

Duo:shares a look with Nuriko: Did he just introduce your chapter?

Nuriko:shrugs before nodding: Oh well, this just gives me a little more time. :instantly gets to work:

Chapter Fifteen: Duo POV:

Our anniversary night had been even better than I had ever imagined. During the long night Heero had woken me up three times. Each time we had the most sensational lovemaking. There were no condoms this time around, either. I had gotten a clean bill of health from Sally, who had given me a check-up three days ago, and Une had allowed me to check Heero's health file as well, not that I had expected anything. As usual, Heero was in perfect shape and health.

Heero had taken me twice while I got to have him once more. That time had been slow, unhindered, and mind shattering. Heero had been pleasantly surprised when he realized we could last for over an hour and a half. I had taught him a few new tricks and he had showed me some interesting new erotic ideas.

Now, two days later, I was going around with a giant smile on my lips and Heero moved into the Haven with me. We were both reluctant to be apart and when we weren't working, we could be found where-ever the other one was. I had taken to going to the Preventer HQ to workout with Wufei every morning. I had also talked with Une about joining as a stealth and demolitions expert. I wanted to help train others in the art of stealth so that what had had to Wufei would happen again. Une had admitted to being ill prepared when it came to stealth so I told her I'd teach her more promising students if she promised to keep Heero out of danger and stationed on L2. Surprisingly, Une had been very agreeable and had set up my training school for stealth and demolitions only a block away at the old sweatshop the former mayor had been running. This way, I wasn't too far from my kids. I loved the arrangement.

"Duo, you're skills are required at the old weapon shop near the former shantytown," Morgana said, walking into my office with my newly sent over all black Preventer uniform. I grinned brightly at her and took the uniform from her.

"Thanks, Mor. How's training coming along?" She smirked.

"They're still children, dad, at least in the stealth department. I'm really glad Lady Une thought I'd be helpful." I snickered at the memory.

It's a little hard to say no when you stole everything of hers, including her glasses and bra without her realizing. She was seriously impressed. So was I."

"Thanks, dad. I love working with you. Since you've agreed to help Lady Une, you've become a lot more skilled. I can't even change your hair ties any more."

"I haven't gotten more skilled. I've simply gotten back into the shape I was in before I stopped being a pilot," I told her.

"You've simply realized your true potential, Maxwell," Wufei's confident voice remarked from the doorway. I laughed, my head tipped back. Travis was hovering in the doorway as well, a star-stuck expression on his face. He was a die-hard fan of Wufei's. Ever since he had met the former Altron pilot, he'd been going through a severe case of hero worship.

"Was that a compliment, Wuffles?" I asked, gaining a small giggle from Morgana. Both Travis and Wufei shared twin expression of exasperation.

"The name's Wufei," the two replied, gaining another laugh from me. They were too cute together. The Haven currently housed twenty-seven children. Kali, Luc, Lucian, Gabriel, Kyle, Ian, Violet, Cassie, Chris, and one other had all been adopted during that first month the Haven had been running. It was only recently that they had been moved out. True, Kali and Luc hadn't been snatched instantly, but I knew my friends would love them. Yesterday alone had seen to another ten adoptions, all of which went quicker because I was the only one needed for the okay. We had also gained ten more yesterday. Among them was a young Chinese boy who reminded me a lot of Wufei.

"Right, I'll try to remember that," I answered with a grin once I could control my laughter. Wufei sighed.

"I have something important to tell you, Maxwell," Wufei began suddenly, his expression serious. I instantly sobered up.

"You found more orphans?" Wufei shook his head.

"Nothing like that, Maxwell. I was hoping you'd allow me to adopt Travis and Li." I was silent for a moment. Out of everything I had been expecting, this wasn't it.

"I'd love to okay it, Wufei, but with you being single with a life threatening job it wouldn't be wise for the children." Travis's little face turned sad and I really hated to have been the one to place it there.

"I realize this, Duo. That's why I asked Une for a more family-minded position. I am now the new head of inter-galactic affairs. I also handle combat training. Its not a safe desk job. . ." I smirked as he trailed off.

"But its as close to one as you'll ever get, eh, Wufei," I finished for him. He nodded. "Adoption approved. Ask Sandra to give you the correct forms to fill out and I'll take care of it as soon as I return."

"Stealth mission?" he questioned. I nodded this time. It was amazing how cool it could be to have a changing area in my office where only my neck and head could be seen.

"Are there any others I accept?"

"No." He seemed deeply in thought for a moment. "Need back-up?"

"Naw, I'm good. It's another bug and run. I last clocked myself at two-minutes and one second a placement. I'm faster without help."

"Understood. If things get too warm, get out." I rolled my eyes. Who did he think he was talking to, an idiot?

"Of course. I'm a family man now. I can't risk myself." Wufei looked down at Morgana then, giving her a gentle smile. She was one of the few onna's Wufei could stand. Her hair was once again in the same style as mine. She claimed it made it easier to work that way. Since that was my own reason for my braid, I really couldn't argue. Morgana smiled back at him. Also like me, she was impervious to glares, frowns, stares, and all other looks meant to intimidate. If I had been a bit older in AC 193, I'd almost say she was my real daughter.

"Would you mind if I helped with your class today, Morgana?" she flushed prettily.

"Not at all, sir," she answered. When Morgana had begun training Preventers with me, she had taken to calling all higher up agent's sir, or ma'am. It drove Quatre insane, but he also thought it was cute. Too bad he just couldn't get over how old it made him feel.

"Good." Wufei looked at me. "You better go. Heero only has three hours of work left today."

"You haven't told him?" Travis asked. I shook my head.

"I was waiting for tonight. Une's had a construction team on the two buildings that are soon to become the Preventer training center working day and night. They'll finish this afternoon and then Une will give him a proposition. We've all fought so much in these past years. Une understands why we all have a need to settle down at an early age." Wufei snorted.

"That onna may understand, but she'll never do it herself." I stepped out from behind my dressing area in my Preventer black. Morgana whistled loudly at me.

"Looking good," she remarked.

"Still determined to wear black I see," Wufei added. I nodded.

"Of course. Its perfect for stealth operations." I then waved to Wufei and hugged Morgana. "I'll be back soon." That said I rushed off to get my equipment from Quatre and head to work.

Two and a half hours later I was on my way home a little lighter than normal. All I could think was that the man was lucky war wasn't still going on. I would have killed him on the spot for what he did if the war was still raging. Instead, I knocked him out and tied him up. Heero would want to kill him, war or no war. He has too much fun with all of it not to get upset over it. I stepped into the shop and pulled off my Preventer's cap as I took a seat in a chair.

"Antonio, fix it. I know it's impossible to put it back together, but as least make it look decent again." Antonio was the best hairdresser I knew. He was the only one who took care of my hair, beside myself. He was the only one I'd allow near it, besides Heero.

"Duo, what happened?" Antonio asked, his gray-violet eyes roaming over the obviously shorter braid. His own long red hair was braided down his back all the way to the floor. He was tall too, almost 7' 3" in height. Yet he was very feminine in both look and attitude. He made me look a lot more masculine than I was.

"Hazard of my new job."

"I thought being a Preventer wasn't for you?" he asked, taking in my beat up uniform. I sighed.

"It wasn't, until I realized those I cared about were in danger without my special skills. We all had out own abilities and mine was stealth. Nothing will change that." Antonio sighed romantically.

"Having all those men in uniform around must be heaven," Antonio said dreamily.

"There's only one man in uniform that I'm interested in. He's currently living with me." As I talked, Antonio got to work on un-braiding my hair and washing it so it would be easier to cut. The walking dead man had cut it unevenly. Now, I had to get it cut just to get it even once more.

"So you finally won over your Heero?" he asked. I had told him about Heero on more than one occasion.

"More like we won each other. He kind of caught me on the street one day and my life hasn't been the same since."

"Must be fun."

"Of course," I answered. He was silent for a moment, which was unusual about him.

"Seems its serious as well, if that band is anything to talk about." I swiftly opened my eyes and was rewarded with a dose of water in them.

"What are you talking about?" I asked once he sat me up to wrap a towel around my hair. He held up my left hand. Sure enough, there was a simple ring there. I pulled it off and checked it out. Engraved on it were the simple words 'Marry me Koi'. It was so a Heero thing to do that I almost creamed. "Why that sneaky little. . ."

"Now, now, Duo. You don't talk that way about loved ones." He then began combing and clipping my hair. "He must have done something while you were drunk for you not to remember him proposing."

"That's just it, Toni, he didn't propose. He must have slipped this on my finger once I had fallen asleep."

"I've never heard of a non-proposal before. If someone places something like that on your finger, it means they want to go the long haul. Why wouldn't they ask you to your face?" I frowned as I listened to the scissors.

"I don't know. I only know he'll have to ask me personally before I accept." I slipped the ring back on. Antonio smirked.

"So you plan on accepting, then?"

"Of course. I love him too much to let him go." He started blow-drying my hair, brush in free hand. Once done, he carefully re-braided my now dry and even hair. He let it go and I felt the tip smack the middle of my back. I almost wanted to cry. "How long is it now?"

"A little past the middle of your back, Duo. It's not your lovely butt-length hair now, but it's still fairly long. It would have been worse if he had cut your braid higher up. Like at the neck or higher." I glared at him.

"Don't speak it. Don't even think it. I refuse to even dwell on what could have happened." I stood up and pulled my wallet from my back pocket. I then took out two twenties and placed them in his hand.

"Duo, I haven't changed my prices. It's still only five dollars."

"I know, but this is for all the times you took care of my hair when I couldn't pay you." He laughed, but pocketed the money. His place was modest, but well kept up. Une and Relena both agreed he could stay; that he was no harm to the neighborhood.

"Your hair is always heaven to work with. I didn't mind the few freebies I had to give you." I laughed.

"I'll see you in about a month."

"Later," Antonio called as I pulled on my cap, braid tucked under it, and headed out of the shop. He must have moved to place the money in his register because I soon heard him shout. "DUO!" I smirked and headed home, my wallet now a hundred dollars lighter.

Heero was sitting with Trowa and several children when I returned to the Haven. I avoided him and went into the kitchen. I found Quatre there, making a rather large lunch for the entire Haven. I smiled and stole a single French fry from the bowl he had just filled. He glanced toward me, aquamarine eyes bright.

"Duo, no snacking. This is for lunch." I smirked.

"Cool, but what are the kids going to eat?" I joked. Quatre smacked my cap off, causing my braid to fall back. Quatre gasped.

"Duo, what happened to your hair?"

"An idiot decided to take a swing at me with a knife and caught my braid. I had to get it trimmed to even it out."

"I'm so sorry. I know how much you love your hair." I waved off his words.

"Don't sweat it, Q-bean. Everything's fine. I'm just waiting for it to grow back. Besides," I continued, shivering. "It could have been worse." Quatre nodded.

"So it could have." We shared a grin.

"Duo! When were you planning on telling me about the Preventers?" Heero's voice called from the kitchen doorway. He stalked in and stopped dead in his tracks as he looked at me. His eyes roamed over me three times before he finally spoke. What he said was anything but heartwarming. "What in hell happened to you?"

Nuriko:smirks: You're turn for fun, Jess.

Heero/Duo/Jess:glares: You cut the braid!

Nuriko: Only a little. I was gonna cut it all off. So chill.

Duo:pales: All?

Nuriko: Yep, all of it.

Duo: I'm fine as is.

Jess: I suppose I can live with that.

Heero:death glare: Omae o Korosu!

Nuriko:sighs: I know Heero. I know. At least I die at the hands of a very handsome man.

Duo:hand on Heero's shoulder: Calm down, love. It's not too bad.

Nuriko: Until next chapter, ja mata ne!


	16. Heero POV

Duo: What's wrong, Jess?

Jess: ((sniffles)) I just finished writing this whole chapter and then when I click on "Save," it tells me that the program is not responding! ((cries))

Duo: ((pats her back)) Aww, I'm sorry… it's happened to everyone

Jess: I know, but that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it! Now I'm angry and you two will have to suffer.

Duo/Heero: Nani!

Jess: I'm sure Nuri will fix it, but right now, I need to vent ((angrily re-types chapter, causing Duo and Heero to cower))

Lunar Symphony

Chapter 16: Heero POV

Duo joined the Preventers and was currently out on a mission. Needless to say, I was not happy.

I was finally getting used to civilian life when Wufei mentioned something about Duo being out on a mission. Later, the fact was confirmed when Morgana mentioned something about Preventer training. I was furious!

A few hours later, I was in the Haven common room when I heard Duo's voice waft through the walls, signaling the Baka's return. By the time he came back, I was so furious, I could barely keep myself from shaking.

"Duo! When the _hell_ were you planning to telling me about the Preventers?" I pretty much yelled as I burst into the kitchen where Duo and Quatre were talking. I stopped dead in my tracks. Duo was dirty, his clothes were torn, and half of his braid was missing! "What the HELL happened to you!" By then, I was a little too close to snapping; my anger pretty much taking over.

"Heero…" he nervously smiled and chuckled, "What are you doing home?"

Evasion. I needed answers fast, before I did something drastic. I went over to him, picked him up like I did when I first found him and made my way to the Preventers gym, excusing us from our friends. Duo kicked, wiggled, and scratched at me the whole way, trying to get free, but it was no use.

When we arrived at the gym, the few people working out cleared the room with just one glare. At least I wasn't getting rusty with it. I moved in and dumped Duo on the floor as I grabbed a leftover metal pipe that had yet to be discarded from the wall next to the door and glared at Duo menacingly. "Go sit on that bench, and if I were you, I would not try my patience," I told him. He blinked at me a few times and nervously glanced at the pipe in my hands, paling slightly. I then turned around, sliding the pipe through the handles of the door, then bent the pipe into a pretzel, effectively locking us in the room so that Duo couldn't employ his "runs and hides" part of his motto.

Looking over at Duo, he was still sitting on the floor where I had dumped him. "If you prefer to sit on the floor rather than the bench, suit yourself, but you might regret it," I said as I made my way to the large, sand-filled punching bag. I was glad I was wearing light cotton pants and a tight tank-top. I was going to work out when I stopped to talk to Wufei on my way here. "Now," I said as I padded barefoot on the safety mat over which the punching bag hung, "I want you to tell me the truth, Duo."

I began punching the bag hard as I spoke calmly, "When the hell were you going to tell me about the Preventers?"

"Uh… I was under the impression that Une would have told you since the condition was that I work in the same vicinity as you…" Duo said as he made his way to the bench I had indicated.

"I handed my resignation over to her the day you took that mission for Wufei," I gritted through my teeth as I gave the bag a back kick.

"Sh- She didn't tell me about that…" Duo said, sounding thoughtful.

"That's a moot point. You said you'd never work with the Preventers. What changed your mind?" I gave the bag anther pair of jabs, glaring at him as he nervously fiddled with the end of his much shorter braid.

"Well… I…" he paused.

"Why, Duo? You told me to give up the Preventers for you and I did. You said that's what it would take to prove my commitment to you, even if you didn't use as many words." I said in my most controlled voice which seemed out of place with the violent behavior my body was demonstrating.

"I joined to be close to you," he whispered.

"And I quit _for_ you."

"I didn't think you'd do it…" he said quietly, his eyes on his boots.

I paused, after giving the bag another hard punch, "When have I ever lied to you, Duo? When have I ever said something I didn't mean? When have I ever promised something and not come through?" I glared at him a moment longer.

"Never," he answered.

"Damn straight." I know I must have picked up the phrase from Duo, but I didn't pay attention to my out-of-character comment. I went back to giving the punching bag another round of punches as I continued my interrogation. "Now answer the second question I had for you; What the hell happened to you?"

"The mission went slightly sour and a guy came at me with a knife. He didn't touch skin, but a piece of my braid was sacrificed."

"Backup?" I was seething. NO ONE touched Duo's braid but me.

"Negative. It would have only slowed me down."

By now, my kicks and punches were raining down harder and faster as I released all that pent-up energy. "You better fucking well have killed him because when I get through with him, he'll definitely wish you had."

"He's been taken care of."

"Good. There's still something I don't understand. Why did you think I'd LIE when I said I'd leave my job to be with you?" I was still angry and hurt that he'd think I'd lie to him at all… him thinking I'd lie about something that could possibly mean life and death really made me question how much he trusted me.

"You love your job, you've been doing this all your life, Hee-chan-"

"Don't you fucking-well call me that! Explain yourself… quickly." I hated the thought that he was using his pet name with me when he obviously thought so little of me. It was condescending and I didn't like it- I refused to be addressed like that knowing full well that he didn't respect me at all.

"You-" he cleared his throat and began again after his voice caught, "You love your job and you've been doing it since always… I couldn't ask you to leave it-"

"But you did."

"I thought you wouldn't be able to leave it, just like I would never be able to leave my kids. I know how much this job means to you and I couldn't bare to live with myself if I made you give it up."

"My job is just a job. Something I happen to be good at an nothing more." I was kicking the bag now, making the chains from which it hung squeak.

"But I thought-"

"Speaking of thinking," I cut him off, "wouldn't you think that after my giving you that ring, you'd get the idea that I was willing to commit myself to you? Since you haven't said anything, I assume you don't accept me. It was my way of not putting you on the spot. My way of not pressuring you into giving me an answer right away, but from the look of it, you haven't thought about it at all. You willingly took a job that'll force you to risk your life every day… a job that could quite possibly endanger those you love. All that says to me is that you, Duo Maxwell, don't care."

"But I-"

"I don't want to hear it," I said, giving the abused bag a final punch, causing the seams to split and sand to fly. "You don't care about your kids and you don't care about me. You are putting yourself in a position to get yourself killed and leave your kids without a guardian. Keep the ring, Duo. Keep it and remember what I offered you- love, protection, and commitment."

I turned on my heel and stomped to the door. I straightened the pretzel-bar I had used to lock us in and threw it aside. I yanked open the door and took a step outside when I heard Duo speak up again.

"Heero… wait…"

I didn't turn around, but tilted my head just a little, "No Duo. I'm done waiting. I don't want to hear you unless you finally have something to say. If you need me… never mind. By the look of it, you won't."

I then left the room and went up to the bedroom I had already began to clean out. Since quitting the Preventers, I had taken my belongings to the Haven, but my previous room was still unoccupied. I stalked up the stairs and into my room, locking it behind me. I looked around the barren room and just sat on the floor in the middle of the room. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Wufei had taught me some meditation techniques and although I had taken out a lot of my anger and hurt on the now dead punching bag, I still had a lot of anger to get rid of.

Since Duo came into my life, my world was flipped upside down. I had trouble controlling myself and all I could think of was the war. Things were so much easier during the war. I didn't know what emotions were back then. I didn't hurt. I didn't care if I hurt anyone because I didn't know I was hurting anyone if it didn't involve blood. Now Duo was making me feel.

I don't know how long I spent sitting there, but all the time I was there, I was rebuilding my defenses. I was putting up the walls I had so long ago torn down. I was hurting that Duo cared so little for himself and for the rest of us. If I had given up my sense of self-sacrifice, why couldn't he see it? It was time to go back to what I had always been. Physical pain I could deal with, but not the sort of pain and betrayal Duo had caused. No… It was better to be what Duo had always accused me of - heartless.

Jess: Can you tell I'm still angry?

Duo: …umm…. NO!… You? Angry? Who'd a thunk it?

Jess: Quiet you! … Oh, by the way, I think it was my fault that Duo lost part of his braid…

Heero/Duo: NANI!

Jess: Well, I just cut my hair and donated it to Locks of Love. They're a non-profit organization that makes hairpieces for kids that have lost their hair because of treatments for cancer. SO, even though it might not have been on purpose, but I think it was in Nuriko's subconscious because the next thing I knew, Duo's braid was partially gone!

Duo: Hmm… maybe I can get Nuriko to find that missing piece of braid to donate too.

Heero: Hn.

Duo: ((runs off to find Nuriko)) Hey NURI-CHAN!


	17. Duo POV

Lunar Symphony

Nuriko: Gee, when Jess gets upset, she brings everyone down with her.

Duo:nods: She just had Heero blow up.

Nuriko: Among other things. :stares at the bent bar she had collected:

Duo: Poor punching bag.

Nuriko: Well, time for our own brand of fun.

Duo:raises an eyebrow: More angst?

Nuriko: Have I taught you nothing? No. Time to get even.

Duo:smirks: I knew I liked you.

Nuriko: Of course. Now, on to chapter Seventeen.

Chapter Seventeen: Duo POV:

I sat on the bench for a few minutes, my eyes shifting between the beat-up punching bag and then bent up iron bar. Granted it wasn't as bent as it had been around the door handle, but it wasn't straight either. Boy, when Dr. J messed with human physiology, he really did a through job. Heero was extremely strong and most certainly dangerous when angry. Although why he was so angry with me I didn't quite understand.

"Duo!" Quatre's soft voice called out, worry and panic evident in the normally calm voice. I smiled softly, even though I didn't feel it.

"Chill Q-bean. I'm cool," I called back. Quatre rushed into the room, worry in his eyes.

"Trowa told me to check on you while Wufei and he went to check on Heero. What happened? Are you all right?" He knelt besides be after taking in the condition of the weight room.

"I'm fine. Heero's emotions got a little out of control. I guess he thinks I don't care enough about him, that I put myself at risk. He doesn't realize there is a lot more to being a couple than just placing a ring on my finger." Quatre calmed, knowing I was all right if I could talk this much.

"He proposed?" he questioned softly.

"Kind of," I answered. I fiddled with the ring on my left hand, my eyes downcast. "He slipped this on my finger while I was asleep, but he never really asked." He smiled softly, a knowing look in his eyes. His own right hand began playing with his own ring. A simple gold band with two small stones that seemed to form two halves of one heart. One was a beautiful emerald while the other was a shimmering aquamarine.

"You need to hear the words, not just have the words in front of you, don't you Duo." I felt tears sting my eyes. I couldn't . . .no I wouldn't cry. Boys don't cry!

"Yeah, I do," I answered, my voice breaking through my struggle not to cry. Quatre leaned up and wrapped his arms around me. I could hold together no longer. Tears fell hotly down my cheeks, only to wet his shoulder.

"It doesn't mean you aren't a man if you cry, Duo. It simply means you care." I must have cried for a good ten minutes. Through it all Quatre held me and stroked my back. All the while muttering soothing nonsense. Once I got a hold of myself, I sniffed one last time and moved back. Quatre let me go without an argument. "Better?"

"Surprisingly, yeah. I fell a lot better. Sorry for soaking you."

"No problem. Plan on talking with Heero now?" he asked. I grinned lightly.

"Yeah, I have a lot to tell him. He needs to realize I'm changing for him as well." Quatre smirked.

"Go get him."

"I will, right after I discuss something with my kids first." That said, I headed out to find Morgana, Gabriel, and Lucian, knowing this next part was needed for me to be able to face Heero. After all, facing Heero while he was still upset was a dead man's path. One I'd take willingly to make him understand exactly how I felt, without interruptions.

I walking into the entertainment room of the Haven and beheld a scene I never dreamed of seeing. Wufei, who obviously thought Trowa could handle Heero alone, had all the children enthralled with a story he was telling. At first I thought it was about himself, mostly because Travis was spellbound. Yet as I listened I was stunned even more. He was telling them about me!

"So there we were, locked in a cell. Heero glared as Duo was tossed in, battered and bruised. Heero had then said, 'you didn't complete your mission and you got caught. You failed.' One would think a warrior would be upset over words like that.

"Not Duo. He smirked at him from the floor and answered, 'I didn't fail. Hey Trowa, they've got out Gundams and are rebuilding them, better than ever. Just wait, the God of Death will be back once more, but first, I really need some sleep.' We were stunned. Duo, who was always considered the ditz, had found out more than all four of us combined.

"When he awoke, he had deftly picked the lock on his cuffs with a lock pick he had in his braid. He then smirked through his bruises and unlocked the rest of us. He got us out of the cell and off the base without too much trouble. When I had asked him why he didn't just break us out as quietly as he had started, Duo replied with a grin, 'It was easier breaking you out from the inside than it would have been from the outside.'" Lucian gasped.

"You mean he got caught on purpose?" Gabriel asked, reading his twins thoughts. They did that a lot, I noticed.

"Yes. Duo got caught because he wanted to be caught. He then helped us all escape. I was still snotty at the time, so I never thanked him, but I was impressed with him from then on." I smiled. So Wufei had a soft spot for me after all.

"Gee Wuffles, I never knew," I remarked with a grin. Wufei flushed softly, but for once didn't get angry over the nickname.

"Don't get too cocky, Maxwell. It's the truth, though. I had wanted to improve my own stealth skills from that day on, but am still sorely lacking." I knew how much it took for him to admit that. I glanced at the kids, who all held admiration in their eyes for us.

"Perhaps you should come help more with stealth lessons. That way you can improve your skills more," Morgana said softly. I hugged her tightly. Only she would think of something like that. This way, Wufei learned with the rest of the class without admitting he needed to learn.

"I may just do that, Morgan. Provided your father doesn't mind my help." I laughed.

"The more teachers the better. These new Preventer's are so green they're practically neon." Wufei chuckled.

"Lunch!" Quatre called. The children headed toward the door, but I stopped my kids.

"Wait a minute," I told them. I then looked toward the door. "Q-bean, save Morgana's, Lucian's, and Gabriel's dinner. They'll be there shortly."

"All right, Duo. Should I save yours as well?" I thought about it for a moment. What I had to say to Heero wouldn't take forever.

"Yeah! And set Trowa's aside as well." Quatre poked his head out, an odd expression on his face. "I'm gonna talk to Heero before I eat, Q. I need to get something off my chest." Quatre gave me a warm smile and nodded.

"Understood."

"Thanks. Somehow I knew you would." I then turned to my kids and smiled at them.

"Follow me." I headed to my office, all three children following closely behind me. Once there, Lucian took a seat with Morgana on his lap while Gabriel stood there silently. I leaned one hip on the desk and made certain all three could see me.

"What's so important, dad?" Gabriel asked after a brief silence. I drew a deep breath.

"First of all, how do all of you feel about me being a Preventer?"

"I'm all for it," Morgana answered. I smiled. I knew she loved it.

"You being a Preventer means no more of our new friends get hurt like Wufei, right?" Lucian asked. He was the logical one, even though he could joke with the best of them.

"Right. I don't take dangerous or life threatening missions, but that doesn't mean I'm perfectly safe."

"You want to help everyone you can, right?" Gabriel asked. I nodded. Gabriel and Lucian shared a look.

"Then we're cool with it. Just next time, don't go without back-up," Lucian answered while Gabriel flipped my braid over my shoulder. I smirked.

"Agreed," I replied. I then looked down at my left hand. "Secondly, something's happened that I can't agree to until I know it's all right with you three as well."

"What is it?" Morgana asked.

"We'd never hold you back," Lucian and Gabriel replied together. I smiled tearfully at them. God I really loved these kids. I truly did.

"I hope you two are right." I drew another deep breath. "You see, Heero's asked me to marry him, sort of, and I want your permission before I agree." The three shared a look. Even now, they acted like true siblings. They then grinned widely.

"We'll kill you if you don't marry him. We love Heero as much as we love you. You've loved him for years. So, if you don't keep him, we'll be forced to hurt you." I laughed. Leave it to Morgana to remind me of my hearts desire. Lucian and Gabriel nodded in agreement with their sister.

"Go get him," Lucian said. I nodded and headed out, leaving them to find their dinner on their own. Now, to face Heero. Like it or not, the final showdown had come.

After a brief stop to my room to change my clothes, seeing as my new uniform was currently not the best thing to wear, I was on my way to Heero's old room. Wufei had told me that was where he had gone. Now, dressed in a hunter green form fitting shirt and my usually tight black jeans, I was fully prepared to face one very upset Heero.

Standing at his door, I came to the realization that it was locked. Now normally, I never broke into anything Heero had personally locked or protected. This way he never got the urge to perfect his security. This was important though, so I unlocked his door in a mater of moments. Trowa stopped talking the minute the door opened while Heero was momentarily off guard. I must have had a determined look on my face because Trowa then stood and headed out.

"Q's got dinner waiting for ya, T. I'll be down as soon as I explain a few things." Trowa couldn't hide his grin.

"Go easy on him," he answered. I gave him a small nod, but stopped him from shutting the door. I then turned on Heero, my eyes flaming with my anger. With Trowa gone I locked eyes with my ice prince.

"Heero Yuy, you will sit there, be silent, and allow me to have my say, understood?"

"Yes sir," he answered, automatically responding to the command in my voice, I could tell. That's good, because that's what I had been going for.

"First off, when I had agreed to become a Preventer, past of it was to be closer to you. I never doubted you'd leave. I knew all too well you'd do it to make me happy. Yet that happiness would have come at a great price, your own happiness. You love being a Preventer, Heero. I know that all too well.

"Yet I had another reason for joining. When Wufei appeared at the Haven, Quatre helping him, I knew I couldn't lie to myself anymore. Our team was unstoppable, but only when we were a team. Without my stealth skills, other members had to do my job, therefore getting hurt due to lack of sufficient skills. I told Une I'd willingly teach those that showed promise. Morgana proved herself to have some nice skills of her own and so Une hired her as a junior Preventer. I've only ever taken jobs that required stealth and that were not life threatening.

"Sadly, I wanted to be quick so I could return to you, so I refused back-up. Wufei even offered. I will never go solo again, no matter how much faster being alone will be." I drew a deep breath, my body shaking. My fists clenched at my side. Now it was time for the hardcore stuff. So far, Heero had been silent.

"As for thinking I care about no one, well think on this. Who did I protect all those years as a pilot? It certainly wasn't myself. Who did I protect when we got together, thinking I was no good for him? Who did I love so much that I let him go not once, but twice, so that he could live his own life? Who did I change my whole life for? Who did I love so much that I gave him the one thing no one else ever had, my heart, soul, and love to?

"There is only one answer to all of that. Une even willingly agreed to keep you out of danger working on security systems, your true passion, because I asked it of her. My kids know why I'm a Preventer and would think less of me otherwise.

"Lastly, I never mentioned the ring because I wanted the words, Heero. I wanted to hear the most precious words in my life from the lips of the dearest person in my life. You are my heart, soul, and air. Without you I'm only half of what I truly could be. I didn't accept your proposal to you because you didn't ask me. Your ring asked me and I accepted gratefully. When you finally realize that I've done more for you than I ever will for anyone else, let me know. Unlike you, you know I'll be willing to listen. Until then, I'll be at the Haven."

My words spent, tears silently falling from my eyes, I turned from him. If he was going to say anything, I wouldn't of known. Just then, Lucian's voice sounded up the stairs, worry and panic in his tone.

"Duo! Come quick! Troubles broke out at the Haven!" I knew only important things would have brought the boy over. I wiped my tears away and hollered back.

Coming Lucian!" I then spoke softly, my words for Heero alone. "At least they still need me, even if you don't Heero." That said I sprinted out the door and downstairs, eager to help my children.

Total chaos reigned as I entered the Haven. Three of our new boys were up to some really weird stuff in the playroom. A vine was wrapped around Jing's legs. Jing was a young boy of twelve who was known as the King of Thieves back on L3. He had come to admire Morgana's skill, especially when she had been able to steal his arm blade from him. He had wild black hair and soft gray eyes.

Edward Elric was being held in place by one of Jing's blades. The tip rested right in front of his face. Ed had bright yellow hair in a small braid and golden yellow eyes. Edward's brother, Alphonse, was stuck at an awkward position behind Jing, also held down. He had dirty blond hair and blue eyes. Ed was twelve while Al was eleven. Ed and Al took after their father, who had been an Alchemist. They could make stuff from other things, but the greater the item the greater the price.

Ed had learned that the hard way, having lost his right arm and left leg. Both were replaced with metal replacements. I shook my head at them. With gifts like these, who needed curses or enemies? I walked into the room, my eyes serious but open.

"What started this? Jing put those away. Ed, Al, I don't care which let Jing go. The rest of you go to your rooms. There's nothing to see." Everyone complied, Jing and Ed reluctantly. I then had everyone seated, Jing and Ed glaring at one another. I sighed. "Knock it off. Jing, you start. What happened?"

"Metal Boy said no one would want a thief for a child," Jing said. Ed glowered.

"Don't call me Metal Boy, Thief!" Ed called hotly.

"Don't call me Thief, Metal. . ."

"Stop it!" I yelled. Instantly they quieted down. I then turned to Alphonse, who preferred being called Al. "Al, what happened?"

"Jing said no one would want half a boy, let alone a metal one," Al said quietly. "Then Ed remarked that no one would want a thief for a child. At that they fought. I tried to stop them, but only succeeded in getting caught up in the fight." I smiled softly as both Jing and Ed frowned.

"I happen to have a former thief for a daughter myself," I told them. "Plus Trowa and Quatre took in Luc, who has a really old prosthetic leg. Even Lady Une took Kali, and she's missing an eye." Both boys looked at me in awe.

"Really?" Ed questioned. I nodded, my mind suddenly racing.

"Tell ya what. Lucian and Gabriel are almost all grown up. How would you three like to stay here? Become my kids as well?" All three boys shared a look.

"You mean have you for a father?" Al asked.

"Perhaps Heero as well, but yeah," I answered. They all shared another look. It's amazing how much arguments can be dropped when good things happen.

"I'd like that," Al said suddenly.

"So would I," Ed answered.

"Same here," Jing replied. I grinned and opened my arms. They rushed into them, enjoying the group hug.

"I'm sorry, Jing," Ed said softly after a moment.

"I am too, Ed," Jing remarked. I smiled brightly.

"I'm glad that's all settled. Now up to your rooms as punishment. Everyone!" I replied, my last words for those in the hallway. A loud chorus of groans filled the area and I chuckled. If Heero really wanted into this family, he was in for more than he bargained for. I could only hope he'd be willing, my eyes watching the kids as they headed upstairs.

Nuriko: Done with this one.

Duo: Whoa, I really gave it to him, didn't I?

Nuriko:nods: Yep, with both barrels.

Duo: I never knew I had it in me.

Nuriko: If it's in me then it's in you.

Duo: How true.

Jess: Perhaps one more chapter and this ones done. Now, only one question. Make it a happy ending or a sad one?

Duo/Heero: JESS!

Nuriko:snickers: Aw, a woman after my own heart. Keep reading to find out.

Jess: Until next chapter.

Nuriko: Ja mata ne!

Duo/Heero: Nani!


	18. Heero POV

Jess: YAY! This is the last chapter of Lunar Symphony!

Nuriko: Yes… all good things must come to an end.

Duo: Woo-hoo! No more angst! ((does a little happy dance))

Heero: Hn. You know they have other stories in the works. I wouldn't be too happy just yet.

Jess: Well, I hope you guys enjoy the final chapter to Lunar Symphony, It's been fun writing it!

Lunar Symphony

Chapter 18: Heero POV

I sat there in my room for long moments after Duo left. I felt numb and stupid for the first time in my life. First Trowa had come and I let him into my room. He had me tell him everything that happened between Duo and I. Apparently, Quatre had picked up on my intense emotions along with fear radiating off Duo when I broke open the punching bag. I didn't mean to scare Duo, I just needed to release my hurt and anger without harming him. I could never forgive myself if I ever hurt my Duo.

Naturally, when I finished telling Trowa what had happened in the weight room, I got a blank stare, which for him was a "You're an idiot and I don't know why I even bother" stare. He then leaned against the wall and simply asked, "What did I tell you before?"

I sat there for a moment before answering, "You told me to be honest with Duo and tell him what I was feeling…."

"Go on," he prompted.

"And I did," I said rather defensively.

Trowa gave me a look, his one visible eyebrow raised, "Did you?"

I didn't get a chance to answer because Duo broke in easily even after I had locked my door after Trowa came in. He sent Trowa out of the room then let me have it. I had never gotten such a tongue lashing in my life, nor had I ever seen Duo so livid. If I didn't know any better, I would have said that what was left of his braid was alive. It snapped back and forth during his rant and almost looked like an angry cat's tail, fluffing up to look more intimidating.

I sat there on my floor watching Duo pace my room, listening to every word he said as I was ordered to do. Trowa was right…again. I should have been more open with my koi, and at the moment, I was too stunned to do anything.

Now that Duo had stomped away to see what was happening at the haven, I had time to reflect on everything that had just happened. I took a few deep breaths and stood up. Life with Duo was definitely a twist on my reality, but now I came to realize that we both were changing for the other.

I took another deep breath and exhaled, then walked out of the room in search of Duo.

I walked into the haven's playroom to find Duo slouched on the armrest of what was now known as "the story time couch" idly toying with a rag doll's yarn hair. I walked in as quietly as I could and stood a few feet behind him.

"I'm sorry, koi," I said. I watched him turn around, wiping at a red-rimmed (but still dry) eye as he did so.

"What?"

"I… I said, I'm sorry. I overreacted and I was a jerk. I… I have to work on all of that, and I hope you'll forgive me." I don't think I've ever said anything like that before to anyone other than Duo.

Duo smiled a little and held out a hand for me to take, which I did. "Apology accepted."

I didn't like the way this was going so I used his hand as leverage and made him stand suddenly, causing him to lose his balance and crash into my chest.

"Hey!" came the indignant cry. If he was going to say anything else, I didn't give him the chance to. I gently covered his lips with mine and kissed him tenderly, keeping his body wrapped in my arms. I felt him gasp slightly as I licked his lower lip and took the opportunity to taste his sweet mouth.

As we broke apart, I locked gazes with his dazed violet eyes, blushing softly. "Duo," I began, "I know I've been an idiot and insensitive since… well… always. I know I have many flaws and shortcomings, but if you'll have me… I want to be with you for the rest of my life."

"Heero?" Duo's voice sounded wary, as if he were afraid of having his hopes crushed.

"Marry me, koi," I said, giving him a chaste kiss.

The moments that followed felt like an eternity until I heard Morgana's voice shout, "Say 'YES' already!"

That snapped Duo out of it. We both looked around and saw all the kids crowded against the doorway, trying to see what was going on in the play room. Duo just laughed then, shaking his head a little. He turned his beautiful violet gaze at me and smiled, "Who am I kidding? You're the best I'm ever going to get." He then leaned in and kissed me again, making all the kids in the haven "OOH!" with merriment.

Duo then turned on all the kids, giving them a mock glare, "I thought I told you little buggers to get to your rooms!"

"You did, but we saw Heewo coming in and we wanted to see what happened," Mei said, snickering. She and Morgana now shared a room and was the official story-teller of the group when a gundam pilot wasn't available to tell war-time stories.

Duo chuckled a little and turned to me, "You know… our family is a little… larger than you might have anticipated…"

I gave him a questioning look, but he just grinned, "I adopted another three today."

I smiled, I loved seeing my koi happy. Hopefully, we could keep everything together now that everything was in the open. Tomorrow, I would go to Lady Une and ask for a job in security systems so that I could stay with my Duo. The Haven was now officially to be my home and all of Duo's kids were now my kids too.

Life with Duo completely changed the way I saw the world, but I wouldn't trade him for anything.

OWARI

Jess: That's it! It's done!

Nuriko: Woo-hoo!

Duo/Heero: We knew you'd make it a happy ending all along.

Jess: Sure you did.

Heero: Hn.

Duo: … so… what's in the works?

Nuriko: Wouldn't you like to know?

Duo: Yes, actually… that's why I asked.

Jess: Tough cookie, our lips are sealed…. For now.

Duo: Aww! Come on.

Heero: Hn.

Jess/ Nuriko: Until our next story, Ja matta ne!


End file.
